


RWBY : Fallas New far space.

by Lokfun1995



Category: Fallout - Fandom, Original Work, RWBY
Genre: Actual smut at chapter 7, Also shit tons of references, Alternate Universe - Science Fiction, Alternate Universe - Space Opera, But not alot, F/F, Faunus are the result of DNA engineering, Firms have all power and democratic Council is basically paid of to do their bidding., Gen, Gravityte is a sort of mineral that is used as fuel for alot of thing and it's very precious, Hatesex, Kilpium is a extremely hard to craft molecule that serves to make shield generator, Multi, Polyamory, Yang and Ruby are not related, a lot of lore, like really it's stupid, originaly an original Tabletop RPG universe, plot with some porn, they don't even know each other at start
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-06-28
Updated: 2020-04-26
Packaged: 2020-05-14 10:06:00
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 10
Words: 99,628
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19271038
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lokfun1995/pseuds/Lokfun1995
Summary: Life on the station 17B is shit. like in all councils territory. Massives Intersystem Firms have everything, and almost everyone is either outlawed or working their asses off.the few privilegied who have enough money to sleep more than 4 hours a day and be at work the rest of the time don't give a rat's ass about anybody else. and everything is expensive.Discover how team RWBY is formed in the flame of space opera fights and Factions fights of a postapocalitic world sci-fi !





	1. SOME LORE BEFORE THE STORY

**Author's Note:**

> Hi everyone, a quick heads up about this story who will feature a LOT of chapters. I can already tell I'm gonna be proficient with that one.  
> Fallas : New far space is a universe that I have created by mixing a lot of franchise together and removing the brands. It's my Tabletop RPG main universe and I love it so much I just could not share it with you one way or another. of course this is still a rwby story, but expect of lot of original content.  
> You'll see Some fallout. (Earth is still under heavy radiation, though the catasrophe happened more of a millenia ago and the planet have started to heal)  
> You'll see some cowboy bebop (It's kind of a space far-west with bounty hunting)  
> You'll see some Mass effect (Pollitical centralisation, intrigues and a lot of extraterestrial life.  
> You'll see some RvB (Some characters with name change will be present.)   
> there is also a fair amount of Halo mecanics around AIs. (flash-cloning, and Cognitive Impression Modeling)  
> I have already writen a tremendeous amount of Lore for this universe, Created my own characters, And I wanted sooooo much to write something about it here, but couldn't because it's for parody and fanfictions only. So I said to myself : "Dude, you love writing Fanfic about Rwby, you know this universe better than any other because YOU created all the lore and historical shit behind it, How could any of this NOT work." and here I am, I've wrinten and corrected this in a DAY.
> 
> Things might look dark right now, but don't worry the mood lighten up further up the road ^^ ENJOY !

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This is a small LORE delivering, so I don't have to explain too much.

This is less a chapter than a bit of exposition to my universe because I have no idea how to include this much lore without forcing it in a scenarized text. and so :

A bit of chronology first :

In 2077, Like in Fallout, the nuclear war was triggered, peoples got in the vaults, and so on. except that a good chunk of humanity had the time to get off the planet. this good chunk of humanity became "Talia-Uma" the human space station gravitating around earth.

Much later in 2822, Myrions came on Helios from what we called proxima B at the times.they came here to harvest solar energy in great amount, as their own stars isn't that luminous, and they feed on light. Their civilization is highly advanced, but suffers from lack of substitute food, since a megalopolis recover all their planet at a point that some cannot reach the surface before dying of hunger.  
The fabrication of the substitute needs a lot of light exposition, and they hope to find no one here to stop them from harvesting the solar energy.  
They discover humanity's survivors now scattered around all Helios, living with very few. and propose a trade: technology for the right to install some factories on Helios. and Humanity accepts.  
Later, Humanity, with the help of myrions discovers that the internal ring of Helios is a great sources of Gravitate, a complex element capable of delivering a lot of energy in slow, or explosive fashion. Humanity just discovered their own sources of precious space fuel. 

300 years later, in 3122, Humanity has met a great deal of new species through the myrion race, who introduced them to the galactic council and received a Class 3 F.A.Z. E gate as a token of welcome to the council where they were offered a seat. and they change their money for the Council credit.  
A lot of politics and societal changes ensues, being linked to the council and to myrion technology gives the human race a new industrial era, and lots of money. this make humanity grows significantly. Stations are developing and Capitalism explode, giving birth to countless Multi-hundred-of-trillions credits company. Consumerism and overworking becomes extremely common.  
Social circles and classes becomes very important. and lower class poverty goes through the roof.

Many groups are created in this period. Legals and Illegals all alike. Among them is a Human empire who tries to get full control of Helios. and they create a cult about the gravityte. Though they are beaten after a long and bloody war, by the alliance of the Council with the Cog of synthis just created, they are too many to simply be disbanded and are instead given a planet and told to make due.

In 3143, Humanity launches, as a solution against growing space piracy, the BHB, or "Bounty Hunter Bureau" is created as an independent organisation, neutral to all governments with financial participation from all members of the council.

The role of the BHB is then to tame Crimes and illegal activities in a place where authorities have no authority, as is all space outside of planetary surroundings.

And that's it for history of Fallas.   
Now, I'll get to what exist technology-wise :

Gravityte :   
It's a fuel, in solid form, it is harvested in huge chunks, and generally melted (which renders it stable as long as there is no combustion.) and molded, or powdered.  
in its solid crystal form, it is used to create vector by powering it with electricity, which create a strong gravitational field. It slowly decays the materials until it is completely gone. this is the slowest uses of gravityte, extremely easy to control and stable.  
However, this method is dangerous, because if broken, Gravityte reacts exponentially way more than any nuclear device can. The purer, bigger a crystal is, the more devastation it can unleash if damaged.  
Powdered version is burned as a fuel. It delivers energy as a much faster rate, and can still explode, but is much tamer in case of accidents. It is, however much less efficient energy-wise.

In term of availability, it is more found on the outer rims of the galaxy. and almost not existent in the center ring.

 

Kilpium (from Estonian "Kilp"=>;"Shield") :   
An extremely useful resources, it is artificial, and requires for its fabrication more than 300 different complexes compounds. Its fabrication is extremely expensive, and the pure material is  
disintegrated in air. It can be stabilized if mixed with enough of a metal. Often steel or iron.

Due to the really hard process of creation of this element, it costs extremely high amounts of credits, and most of it is diluted in "Kilpium compounds" having the size of a pinhead, containing around 1 to 5 % of kilpium in it.

Depending on of the concentration, Kilpium have different effects :  
If alimented with electric current, Kilpium produces a Strong Particle field called a kilpium field. The size and solidity depend on of the concentration of kilpium, and of the electric current used. (Intensity, frequency, etc.)  
Higher amount of kilpium in the compound gives a stronger, durable kilpium field, but consumes more.  
Higher than 40% compounds behave differently than the rest. First and foremost. Objects coated with such high concentration of Kilpiums absorbs Kilpium fields back into electric current, and cut right through them. They also have no way to be bypassed by enough damages like the poorer ones.

Kilpium is of course used for personal and vehicle protection. It is very rarely used on weapons as they tend to cost too much for anyone who fights to be able to afford them. Even in armies.

Titanium.50 : A total ripe-off of Halo, it is used for stations and ships as an exterior hull. and armor. It's titanium reinforced on the molecular level. 

 

F.A.Z.E : (in french Fission d'Antimatière a Zone exéditrice) or "Antimatter Fission on Expedition zone" is a way of tunneling through space, and it used to create rift between systems of the galaxy and pass ships through them. There is different class of this technology.

Accelerated space bubble : A method of propulsion of deforming the space around a ship. Permitting faster than light speeds.  
It's however expensive to use, and can only be sustained some minutes. It's usually used after a Class 2 F.A.Z.E jump to join a system that calculation have missed.

 

Politically : 

In Helios, and the councils systems, Power is parted between the great galactic council, Firms, and some other organisations.  
Among the firms there is :

PLA2C (pronounced pla-too-cey)  
CORPUS  
SLA-V  
DI-VA  
who are Leaders of the droid market in their own fields.

 

SGC (Schnee Gravityte company, yup.)   
GRAVITIO   
who are in order the main Gravityte miner outside of the empire, and the most eminent distributor of said gravityte.

GravArma   
CCT  
and all previously mentioned in weapon technology business.

JoyCo  
KihaCorp  
Steele tech

In :  
medicine, medication, and genetic modding.  
Research, technologic innovation  
mining operation and technological advancements and researches.

 

Among the others influential groups, are mainly :   
-the triads, a powerful group of cartel and corruption  
-the BHB, who have high amount of contact with danger and protects populations against them.  
-the Empire of Gravityte, who tries to get a hold on all deposit of gravityte known.  
-the Cog of Synthis, A droid factions who formed after the great awakening during the empire war.were droid acquired sentience and rebelled.  
-the photon spirituality, a religion among Myrions  
-and a lot of others that have yet to be written, or have just not enough significance to be mentioned yet.


	2. Beautiful earth, and blood spilling

It was so strange... Ruby was looking Europe, not feeling anything. The earth was beautiful today, it was nice to see greenish patch of vegetation slowly winning their fight against Irradiated lands. Who would have guessed that the planet was probably highly populated by mutants, and other 'nice' creatures. Even after the nuclear catastrophe more than a millennia ago. Earth was slowly healing. But the peoples who ran away in space didn't have much time to consider the big rock anymore... Ruby even more so... She was floating in the absence of gravity. Still amazed by the sheer beauty of the planet she had not given a real look for months... Drops of blood came between her and the windows of the station. Her blood...  
It was really dumb. She and Blake never had that much money... so they took one of those lodging were you sign a discharge before moving in. the place was decent, and the rent was low... Ruby had been a dumdum and didn't check the room modules integrity for a bit too long.  
The Hydrogen line had Ruptured and sparks ignited it behind one of the wall panels... She didn't even see it coming. Just a loud bang. and a metal bar piercing her... And there she was, maybe half an hour after...  
She hadn't been dumb enough to not install security procedures and as soon as the explosion occurred, the Hydrogen had cut itself preventing fire. Now she was there floating when she should have been to work already, wondering if it really mattered if she died here or not. It wasn't important. Being late was punishable by immediate firing anyway.  
She couldn't help but love the way the earth looked. So colorful and nuanced. Everything on this shitty Station-17B was either made in metal without any paint on it, or in the upper levels she didn't have access to.  
She was Seven-teen and had been working one way or another all her life. It was her first time down other than sleeping in like, four months.  
It really did make her question the necessity of living. if she didn't have enough money to enjoy life in the end. All she was doing was being a good little slave for one of the big human corporations... She made the mistake of moving a bit. The pain of her pierced abdomen woke up, making her wince.  
This was painful... couldn't the explosions vent all the air ? this would have been much faster...  
Although... maybe this was what she needed... a reminder that all was not about work and money... The earth didn't give a damn about money... Well, there were civilisations there, or, so she heard, but even so, you were able to live of with nothing if you had a weapon and enough wit to use it...  
Well, there was also Radiations, mutations, and all that... this was still a dangerous place.  
Ruby heard the door starting the opening procedure... Oh yeah. Blake was supposed to get back around this hour... Blake... Her roommate and best friend. The only reason she hadn't given up yet. She closed her eyes... For her... would she live ? Maybe she would. She'd try at the very least.  
She felt strong arms grabbing her, and the familiar visage of her friend looking at her with a lot of panic came into view. She could saw Blake's mouth moving. But could not hear what she was saying... she was... comfortably numb.  
Why was she alive ? If not to for Blake, she would not be anymore... when her dad and mom had died, she was ready to crumble... to let go of everything and just pass the airlock with no suit. Would have been easy. In less than two minutes, she would have boiled from the inside. The loss of consciousness usually happen well before though... around 15 seconds. Not that bad of a death. 

As Ruby Eyes were slowly closing and opening back, she noticed she wasn't at the same place anymore... and everything hurt. Blake was running by her side... Gosh she seemed worried sick... Ruby felt a bit of remorse there... If Blake was the only thing getting her to continue on living... It was also true for Blake that Ruby was the only person she had. Yet Ruby had accepted her probable death without even questioning herself of how Blake would take her death.  
Maybe this was enough reason to continue on living ? She had no idea. But her ears were still ringing... Oh yeah, the explosion... it probably was tinnitus then... no wonder she didn't hear Blake hearlier...  
Blake was walking behind her though ? this was a gravity area ? Probably why everything was hurting so much... that and the fact that they probably had cut down the metal parts that were poking out of her leaving only the part who stopped her blood loss... not that she didn't lose a lot already but still.  
Ruby felt horrible... not because she was hurting, but because her and Blake had spent more than two Years putting money aside, and were about to use it all for a stupid injury she could have prevented if she had more than 4 hours of sleep a day.  
One of the medic must have seen pain on her face because she felt a needle in her neck and fell asleep.

 

 

***************

 

"So doctor ?  
-So she's lucky. The metal parts didn't injure her guts enough for them to release fecal matter in the wound. Septicemia would have taken too much hold for us to do anything. She lost a lot of blood though. She's gonna be out for a good 2 days, at the very least and without artificial blood, she won't leave the bed for at least 8 weeks.  
-We... Is artificial blood expensive ?"  
He laughed, shaking he head in desperation.  
"What isn't in this bloody society ? It's 10 000 Credits the litters. You'd need at least 2."  
Fuck. Blake looked down as she took in the new... even with both her savings and Ruby's, she would not have enough... And if Ruby was in bed so long... Well, Food, Rent, Water, Cooking Hydrogen, Network... She couldn't pay it all... She was stuck. It pained Blake but she had no choice.  
Once the Doctor was out of the room, she took her PDA out. Searching through it for old contacts. Contacts she promised herself she'd never use again... Ruby didn't even know about that... it all had happened before they even met.  
Finding her resolve, Blake pressed a button, hoping the address was still the same after all these years.  
Almost immediately, a familiar faces, or rather mask, was brought on the screen of her arm PDA.  
-Who are YOU ? How did you get this... Oh... BLAKE ?!  
-Hey Ilia... I... I don't bother you do I ?"  
There was a shuffle, as the girl was clearly moving from one room to another.  
"You don't. Although I'm curious as to why you call... I thought Gang weren't your thing anymore..." This was clear sarcasm here and It made Blake want to hang up. sadly, she couldn't just do that.  
"Normally It wouldn't. sadly, what I want became Irrelevant for now. I need to take a job.  
-Don't you work legit now ?  
-I need some quick cash. Not a lot, just 20k.  
-WOW ! Paint me surprised ! You Really DID call for work... And here I was hoping you called for me." Blake felt her ears slap on her head at that... Looking back, calling once in a while just to talk could've been less insensitive...  
"I guess I needed to get away for a while after what happened with Adam... Did he get out of prison yet ?  
-Actually. He's Dead." There was a long, stretching silence, in which Blake tried her best to figure if this was a good thing or not. She never came up with an answer for that question before Ilia resumed talking.  
"Apparently, he messed with the wrong cell mate while incarcerated. he received 28 Stab wounds. He had spilled the entirety of his blood before the medical team was even in the good wing of the prison..."  
Like if the old wound had reopened, Blake felt the old scar on her abdomen, near her right hip sting... Adam... had stabbed her. She shook her head, trying to get all of those bad memories out in doing so.  
"If I may ask what can possibly make you want to be back in the game after you quit ?  
-Nothing. I don't want back in. I just need one Job. and its... Well, let's just say that a friend of mine got hurt and I have a bunch of medical bills to pay right now."  
On the video feed, Blake saw a small hand come onto Ilia's mask as she was taking it off. Revealing an apologetic face.  
"I'm sorry to hear that Blake... And as a matter of fact, it seems you're lucky, I just happen to have a small job from a client I thrust. It a small simple data recovery, Paying 38 000 Creds. Just give me the word and I'm sending you the details... Is the PDA your calling with alright ?  
-No, sent it to the old one, It should still be working.  
-Okay. Do you still have your old weapon ? You might need it. the place I'm sending you isn't exactly security-free.  
-I... Yes. If no one took it, it should still be where I left it.  
-Okay, Message me when you do.  
-Ilia ?  
-Yes ?  
-I... Thanks... and I'm sorry. I should have called sooner, and not for work..."  
A snort.  
"Don't sweat it Blake, I was messing with you earlier. So must I understand we have an arrangement ?  
-Yes. Send me the data please.  
-Just like good old times... Hey, even if it's for a very short time, It's good to have you back Blake.  
-Yeah. Over and out.  
-Over and out." The video feed stopped as well as the call. Leaving Blake alone in Ruby's room.  
She wasn't there yet. Still being in block. and she would be out for at least two days. With a bit of luck it would be enough.  
She called the doctor back.  
"You needed something miss Belladonna ?  
-Yes. Some friend of mine is disposed to hand me some money in two or three days. Can I pay the artificial blood then ?  
-Of course. Just know you'll be overcharged if you don't pay by the end of your friend hospitalization.  
-Got it. I... have things to do. can you please message me if she wakes up or if anything comes up ?  
-As you are the only person she knows on the station, we are obligated to do so mam.  
-Thanks. I'll be going now." Without waiting for his answer, she got out of the hospital. She had things to do.

 

 

****************

 

Blake was nervous. After so long being out of this sectors, being back in it certainly wasn't a pleasure. It's precisely because she wanted to escape the aggressive silences, and possibility of meeting rapist and killers in any corridors that she left the most criminally populated part of the station. Not only was it the same shitty rusty metal than anywhere else. But the lights here hadn't been changed since at least 20 years, for the simple reason that even security refused to go this deep into Gang territory. Only Bounty hunters and military were coming here, and not all of them made it back.  
She was however, soon out of the normal pedestrian ways, and felt safer here. this was the old trams stations. Not served by the station anymore since the crime explosion after the integration with the council.  
There, she opened a maintenance walkway in the ground. To advance here, you needed to be bend forward to not hit your head. and Blake felt her heart swell. Last time she came here, she was sure it was the last. Maybe she was hoping for too much that day. But it sure had been nice to not be at risk of death everyday... Well, that stress had quickly been replaced by another though. Speed of production, Blind obedience. no consideration for any employee's health... she just had escaped one fear for another.  
Reaching her destination, or well, the end of this section of the way at the very least, Blake was faced with one of the thousands of Aeration grid in the maintenance walkway. Labeled "G4M"  
Without even trying to be discreet, Blake Kicked the vent, bending it inwards and ripping all the screws of.  
It was good to know she didn't lose her kick. She may need that very soon after all.  
She was almost not fitting in the vent, and she was already rather small. this was a good way of stopping peoples from finding the place. That and the labyrinth of vents, crossing of multiples air supplies. Some had collapsed under the weight of heavy machines and walls in times, and those that were intact were almost all locked by solid grids.  
Blake took many turns, nervous to the idea of getting lost in there. Trying to jog old memories from a long time ago.  
Finally, she took a right and was faced with a Vent. This was expected, but she couldn't know if it was the right place until she passed this. Pushing the vent grid, it easily came off, falling in a small Aeration hub. Here was a place Blake had hoped she would never have to go back to.

The room was not even 1.5m meters in length or width. There on a small card box stood a metal box with an informatic padlock.

Blake suddenly felt like this was a mistake. if she opened this box back. There was not guarantee she would ever close it back. But it was necessity that brought her here. and as she couldn't back down, she had no choice but to open the box.

She couldn't help but gulp down, as she lifted the lid of the box.  
A small bow, a PDA and an illegal weapon. All with a mask. Similar to Ilia's one. if only more dusty.  
There it was. Gamble Shroud. Her old friend. and enemy. as she let the fingers of her right hand wander on the pommel and the blade of the weapon she couldn't' help but feel her spine tremble. She had kill people with this weapon. Taken lives that she could never give back.  
It was an old weapon now, she made it herself. It was reliable, made to last. It was firing actual gunpowder. Much easier to found that Gun-grade Gravityte for peoples with no money. Less powerful, yes, but also less noisy. Closing back the box after having taken only the bow and mask, she took the box and put it on her back. Strapping it to her for the time being, and put the bow on. to hide her ears, which were a too rare distinctive feature to be showed.  
Before she got into the vent again, she started-up her old Scroll-model PDA, sending a message to Ilia.  
'Got the weapon. I'll be looking at your files shortly.'

There was a lot of vents to go by again before Blake was finally able to get out of the place and took back the direction to the upper city. All while she was reading several files regarding a GRAV-Arma weapon designing bureau in the upper Station, and the several miscellaneous files that the anonymous client had requested.  
As she was getting in the elevator to the part of the station where she could find her and ruby's apartment, she received another message.  
'Great. Meet me at the old rally point. I'll give you an advance, and we'll talk a bit about how you're going to proceed.'  
Crap. Blake had hoped she wouldn't have to meet Ilia. Well, there was no helping it.  
And so, she took another Elevator falling into places she had hoped to leave behind a long time ago.


	3. The heroine, the thief and the prisonner.

Blake was forced to notice that while the place was still very dark. a lot of things had gotten better since the last time she got in this block. The lower levels had the tendency to fall in disrepair, mainly because the poverty was so bad that the technician responsible of the reparation would be endangering them self if they came here. and that all the peoples living here had other things to do than wasting money and time on useless light that had a very good chances to be destroyed in the next firefight that would occur in the block.  
Here, murder was common. The security was either turning a blind eye, or sending fully armed and protected squads of military soldier. The security was more here to observe and warn the upper level if something went wrong, and less here to really intervene.  
The worst part here were the Gangs.  
Most of them were Kids who were trying their best at survival waving a gun around, but the most powerful were either trying to better the living conditions here, or were scums with no fear of doing the worst things for a bit of money or to forget for a while their shitty lives.  
Rape, Assassination, public humiliation, armed fights, slavery. All theses things were possible at every new turn of any corridor and the absence of light made any place a possible ambush.  
The only peoples who weren't carrying weapons here were the slaves and dead. Most of said weapons were hand made, and sometimes more dangerous for their user than for the people the gun was pointed to.  
Blake herself had made her weapon. Though she was kind of proud of the result, since she never had a Jam in all the time she used it.  
It was mostly due to the fact that she had been a member of the white fang. Known for their capacity to create good weapons on all the lower levels before the Adam incident. They had ex-pro of weapon designing and weapon manufacturing to give them advice, to explain what they could and could not do. how to do things and with what.  
Gambol shroud was simple, yet effective, and probably one of the most valuable weapon ever made by the fang, since she had money to throw in.

Still. The place seemed cleaner than ever before. In the past, the place had been covered in blood and reeked of Urine, at these times, it wasn't uncommon to found a corpse on the ground once in a while.There was also less gunfire being heard in the narrow corridors today. Blake couldn't feel at ease though. and if honest with herself, she was glad not to be. being carefree in a place like this couldn't be called anything else than being stupid.  
Fortunately for her, she had kept some habits from living here, one of them being the ability to walk with the minimum of noise.  
She still couldn't believe Adam was dead. She had been afraid him so much over the years, and now he was gone. He was the one responsible for her departure of the Fang. She HAD to run away from him. he became so possessive that she was forced to stay in the Fang headquarter most of the time... and then, the thing she heard from the other members... What was at first a Gang-war to free slaves had become a massacre. Apparently Adam had tortured man women and children alike before killing them. All for no reasons. At that time she knew Adam was capable of losing feet with his' anger, but she would never have guessed he was capable of something like this. So much she had to get sure. She couldn't just accept that it was true. and she managed to get one of the recorded video on a camera that had been destroyed.   
It's when she saw that it finally clicked. She had to run. The Fang was becoming more and more extreme, to the point that the original goal, protecting Faunuses and their rights, had been shifted and twisted into a supremacist war.  
When she met Adam, he was a broken man. His life hadn't been easy, hers too. She had resented her parents so much for taking the Genetic modification course that had led to her and her parents becoming Faunuses. Today she understood they had been promised a better life for their cooperation, as much financially than physically. Faunus had night vision, a generally better hearing and sensing of vibrations, Accepting to be test subjects had given them money to raise her. To live decently.  
But then, the hate toward faunuses had exploded. For all her childhood she had been treated like a monster, a freak show.   
She joined the fang because she wanted to be recognized. She wanted to be considered as normal as anyone else. , but she also did it because she knew her parents would know at some point. It was a way to get back at them. She now knew she had been cruel with them. unforgivably so. she lived precisely what her parent had tried to prevent by taking the money of JoyCo, she had taken lives, More than she could count. Had lived in filth, with questionable peoples. So when she finally came clean of all of that, when remorse finally hit her. She was unable to face them. and had made everything she could to avoid meeting them ever since. She had done a very good job, so much they never saw each other since. They must had though she had died.

At first the fang had been a good thing though. They were not pacifist alright, but they were not cruel, they took resources from official, not bystanders. And slowly, things had started to shift.  
It was Adam who had suggested that since the Gang had so many faunuses, maybe they should make it their main objective to better the conditions for them. then it was excuses after excuses to become more extreme, more violent. But it had been progressive, so much that she didn't saw it. And then retaliation came, and a lot of other gangs tried, one after another to end the Fang.  
They all failed. and one after another, were killed. When she woke up, and ran, she had a lot of time to think. For the first time in years, she finally had time to get a bigger picture of what the Fang was, what it became over the years. And what she saw had terrified her. Adam was known to be one of the worst and crueler and most brutal gang leader on the station. Even worse : All the times he was absent correlated with the crimes he was accused of. Her own injury, still fresh at the time, forbid her to deny any part of that.  
She had regretted years after years and still did regret today. For many reasons.  
How could have she faced her parents now ?

Hearing a door open to her right, Blake stilled, before silently pressing herself in the shadow of the wall.

If she hadn't seen the person move along the corridor, passing her, she would have thought it was her imagination. It was a girl. Pink and brown air. Blake didn't know her, and she had no tattoo or insignia of any kind. She however, was armed with an official weapon, which proved she was quite rich for a place like this... strange. Blake waited a bit to make sure she was gone, then resumed walking.  
Reaching her destination, Blake took out her old Scroll PDA. The security probably hadn't changed. It was a wall in appearance, with no form of distinction from any other. It had been installed her to hide the main quarters and only opened for member PDA.  
Clearly, the door had seen better day. The wall cover was Corroded by rust, many bolts were missing, and the wall had some holes in them. Bullet holes.  
She passed the scroll where the reading cell was supposed to be, and as she remembered, the unlocking noise came. then the motor supposed to lift the door, but the sound was off. Lifting the door a few centimeters before the sound of the motor inside started to get lower and lower, clearly struggling, before finally it stopped all together.   
Blake, unimpressed, grabbed the door and tried to lift. The rusty wall was weighting a ton. and Blake had to grit her teeth, work her back, and push hard on her leg for the door to finally open with a loud metallic sound.

She entered with a bit of dread. The last time she was here, she was trying to get out as fast a possible. Adam was trying to kill her, and she managed to lure Adam to a place where he was apprehended by not less than 5 Military squads that she had anonymously tipped to be there. he was going to prison, but Blake had enough, and left the white fang immediately.  
And here she was. Back in the old headquarter.  
Nothing had changed. The door led to a small T corridor section, both of the sides turning a few meters away to connect in the same room. The old turret on the ceiling not budging a bit. The next room was a kind of warehouse. originally all this block was lodgement. The fang had seized the rooms and tear down Walls and Ground to make a bigger room. then they had sealed all old entrance except the one Blake had walked in.  
A few empty crate were lying around. and the amount of dust told Blake the place hadn't been used for a very, very long time. as did the smell of rust and dust all around the room.

"Ilia ?  
-I'm here."   
Turning around, Blake saw a piece of black move out of the shadows, regaining her usual colors, Ilia revealed herself.  
She had both of her arms up, clearly showing she had no weapons. Without even a hesitation, Blake rushed forward, hugging the long-lost friend. After a few seconds, she was hugged back, and they separated.  
"It has been so long Ilia.   
-it has. How are you doing Blake ?  
-Well, all things considered, I was surviving until my friend was hurt. But life is hard.  
-Yeah, you got that right.  
-This place is abandoned. They moved the headquarter again ?  
-Yeah. With Adam gone, most of his followers disbanded. And we feared this place was compromised if Adam talked, so we relocated in another block nearby."  
So the fang was still going on.  
"And the Gang ? How are you doing ?  
-Well. I'm leading our peoples now. And, after a bit of digging I started to comprehend just what Adam made us become... and for a while, a lot of us had difficulties looking into mirrors...  
Adam, was... mad, there is no other way to put it. When I think of how I almost believed him when he said you were a traitor... We're both lucky you were smart enough to send me these video about him. Or he will still be leading."  
There was a long silence while both of them were appreciating the fact that they escaped being turned into monsters by him and his madness.  
But Blake hadn't come here to talk about the dark times. and pressed on.  
"So, about this mission ?  
-Oh, Right. It's quite simple on the paper. You must infiltrate the scientific section of Grav-Arma here, and retrieve a hard rive full of science shit. Not that hard, but there's a catch. Apparently, the place has raised security a tad those last months. and because of that I'm not confident into getting a newbie into that one. You showed up at a pretty good time too. Did you keep yourself updated on door hacking ?  
-Yeah. It's always useful to be able to open doors.  
-Good, that'll be useful for sure. What your looking for should be in the server room past several security checks. Be aware that the guards here have switch from neutralization to lethal weapons quite recently. You might exploit that to your advantage.  
-Okay. Anything else I should know ?  
-Yeah. Don't get injured or killed. I'm not done with you if I can help it. I didn't wait for you to recontact an old friend for 5 years for you to go KIA shortly after we met again Blake."

There was a fondness in Ilia's voices that Blake didn't miss. Still, not over her uh.  
She smiled amicably.  
"Yeah, I'll watch my back, don't you worry."  
Then Blake proceeded to Put her weapon case on the ground and opened it.  
It was Time to prepare...

 

**********

 

Okay, this was it. Blake thought being at the entrance. Ilia had told her all cameras activity would be downed for her, so she only had to not get seen by guards. Easy enough.  
Grav-Arma was a big weapon manufacturer, and it's Scientific block was sure to be full of guards.  
Also, security wasn't a joke for the biggest company. The cameras were monitored. Nobody could tell when the guy looking at them would realize that they were all on loop.  
With no time to lose, Blake rushed the corridor she was in, pretty sure there was no one here.  
When she got to see the maps Ilia sent her, she had immediately noticed that the date was quite old. Layout could have changed, and it didn't please her. so she chose a longer path, but with more narrow corridors and vents.   
It would also mean that in case she had to get out fast, fewer people could fire at her at the same time. this approach wasn't sure to work, but it was the safer with the informations she got.  
Better, it didn't require her to go through the main entrance who was certainly teeming with security.  
It also meant that the informatics lock of the door was harder to crack, but she wasn't afraid of that, since she stayed up to date.  
Finally reaching the first door she had to unlock Blake worked her magic.  
This was hard alright. There was no wire at all, which forbid anyone to simply bypass the door,  
this meant the security was relying on server exchange to open and close doors. That meant that the door controls were probably very far away and connected by a network.  
However, there was a card detection device on the side of the door, so identification was easy to fiddle with in theory.  
Getting away from the door, Blake hid on a corner between a crate and a wall.   
No wire meant that the network must have a pretty large reach, maybe she could connect from here, steal access informations and simply use her Scroll to unlock the doors with proper access.  
However if she botched this, she couldn't enter at all. and that was that.  
Scanning for nearby non-standard network wasn't a feature normally in PDAs, but her old scroll had been trifled more than once, and she managed to found what she was looking for without too much problems. The harder part was to connect to it. the way she saw it, Blake couldn't just try her luck. as shady login attempts were sure to get her noticed. Fortunately for her. Someone nearby must have tried to open a door, and she intercepted the whole authentication process. Control alt bingo.  
With that all she needed to do was decrypt it, which was child play when your old Chameleon Faunus friend had provided you with an up to date Encryption database.  
After that, all she needed to do was reach for the nearby rooter and spoof it. then listen in until she found a central server ident code.   
In less than ten minutes, she did and simply added a "John doe" with all access to the database, and downloaded the clearance into her own PDA. She would not have any problem with doors on the network for the rest of the mission. Though she suspected that some of them were probably on different type of authentication. Rule one of security was to not have only one security model, in which case, once it was down, everyone could have access to anything.   
She then moved out of her hiding spot back to the door, that she opened by a simple scroll-PDA move to the Detection cell. and entered the Grav-Arma Facility.

Once inside, she was glad to found out that this part of the facility seemed to follow the blueprints of the facility Ilia had furnished. and so she took to the right. What was interesting her was the scientific block's Central Data server. There, she would just have to take the designated disks, and make her escape.

Following the next corridor, she didn't linger. She was on a time table after all. Taking care of not making too much noise she also checked her corners scrupulously. It was out of the question to run into a guard by being reckless.

Shit. Walking. Lots of it too. Fuck was she discovered already ? She frowned a suddenly feeling sweaty at the idea to get caught. If she was, Ruby would be alone and indebted. Taking her weapon out of sheath, she cleared her mind and listened. The noises clearly came in her direction, but she was at the crossing of two corridor sections. There was a chance than most of them were going to just pass her without even looking her direction. Only one way to know. She pressed herself against the wall near a metal reinforcement, hiding most of her body and looked at the crossing.  
A few seconds later, a dozen of person came. Most of them were guards, but in the middle was someone else. A female, white hair and fancy dress. She seemed rather unhappy right now but was following the guards willingly. As she hoped, they came from the left and continued without turning, taking Blake's right without even according her direction a look.  
Soon, they all passed her and the noise of their footsteps vanished. and she finally resumed breathing, realizing she had stopped at some point.  
After being certain that everything was fine, the Cat faunus resumed her moving, and quickly got to the scientific block. From here the server was directly on her right behind three automated authentication checks. and the door she was facing right now.  
this time however, no Detection cell, it was Keycard locked. this was a problem. The security device required a card to be inserted and a code to be typed. and this kind of information was not on central server she reached earlier. she checked for this kind of things. It was probable that more than one error would trigger the alarms and place the server she needed to access in lock down.  
Before she could figure anything out, she heard footsteps behind her. Still far, she was in an impasse, she needed to hide, but the place had no features or objects anywhere and the walls here were smoothed.  
When the guy reached the door, Blake wasn't breathing anymore, too afraid she would be found out if she did. He was a scientist apparently, and had a sort of badge around his neck.

As soon as he was on the door she looked. She needed to be sure before she made her move.  
2284\. A simple Four digit code then validate, dully noted. She jumped of the ceiling she was maintaining herself on. dropping right on him blunt part of the blade on his throat, pushing him on the ground before he had any chance to call for help.   
"Don't move or I'll be forced to kill you." she talked with a deep voice doing her best to sound cold and merciless, not only because it would be more intimidating, but because it gave her the occasion to hide her voice a bit.  
As soon as he was instructed to, he stopped trashing. With her blade still on his throat, she took her sheath-blade, hitting him on the back of his head with the blunt side knocking him out cold.  
She took the Card out of his hand and dragged the poor man through the door with her just before it closed.  
The guy was a problem. While he furnished her the pass to get out of here after she was done, if the cameras got back up he would be spotted immediately. Sadly for her there was no place to hid him other than the Server itself, and hacking through the three security checks would take a while. So she got to it.   
The first one was easy. a simple access code, no network interaction. The second was the network one, and just needed a Scroll swipe to open. The last one was tougher : Retinal and Fingerprints authentication. this was much, much harder to bypass. Not only did she have low experience with theses, but was also pretty sure that they had the horrible tendency to trigger alarms at the first errors. It was simply a risk she couldn't take. then an idea sprouted in her head.  
Quickly looking back into the central server, she searched for employee profiles, and was happy to found that every hiring was followed by a mandatory Retinal scanning and fingerprints registration. But she couldn't simply add herself to the data base this time. The reading cell of the door was not network connected. this meant the database was manually updated on regular basis.

Arching an eye Blake opened her connection to the central server of the place once more and prayed. They could not be that dumb. Right ? Data, Engineering, security, procedures...  
Oh, god, they were that stupid. The update protocols weren't even encrypted, what was wrong with these guys... Uh... maybe she could turn White hat security for them one day ? Nah. Knowing the firms of Helios they would pay her like crap.  
Downloading the Updating protocols was easy. then all she had to do was modify the retinal image of someone who had access to the room with an image of the retina of the moron she had knocked out.  
The door was opened in a matter of minute.  
The room was cold. standard environment procedure for server rooms, it helps to stop CPU and other heating material to deteriorate, all the servers where encased into the walls of the room or kept in a big bundle in the center, there was only a small portion of the wall that was actually spared. Now where was this disk ? Nothing seemed to look like one anywhere. There was a small holographic screen floating near one of the server tower of the center. Simple ID and Passwords.  
Blake got past that with ease.   
Oh okay, there was more security procedures after all. Hard drives seemed to be confined into a faux-server box, and only opened after proper identification. There was something weird though.  
Apparently the only super calculator the place seemed to be busy, in any other case she would have shrugged that off as boring and nerdy, but the fact was that is was rigged to something apparently in the room. and Blake knew enough to say no server in this room could have the capacity to interact with a super calculator like this one without an intermediate computer made for this purpose... this got her curiosity, and she kept digging until she found out another identification was required. She should have let that as it was. Wasn't part of the mission after all. But something in her guts told her to keep digging.  
She had never seen a lock this well protected. It had been double encrypted. and sophisticaly hidden so no one not knowing this was a thing accessed it. had she not noticed that the supercaculator was weird, she would have never guessed this was here. However. She was good. She never thought herself to be the greatest hacker of all time, and it wasn't even her main asset. Yet she had to admit, when the thing finally opened, she was a bit proud. The only free bit of wall opened like a door. Behind there was a small metal cavity embeded in the real wall. There, connected to at least 50 cables was a small data unit. this kind of holographic storage could be huge or rather minuscule in capacity... Blake getting near the thing reached without a second thought. It was in her pocked before she knew it. maybe valuable. Back on the task at hand now. Compared to what she just did, opening the Disk-Bay was child play. She had been here for precisely fifteen minute and 12 second and the guard had still not noticed his screen were frozen too... someone was getting fired because of her.   
Going to the the server who had oppened on his own, Blake looked at the disks. Twenty-two, Twenty-three, Ah ! there it was, Disk Twenty-four. She declared the maintenance on that disk on the holographic interface before moving on to disconnect it hardware-ly speaking, then finaly put it in her pocket. Main objective secured, now to get out of there. A small vibration from her scroll. never mind, a silent alarm had been triggered. She needed to get out fast !  
Before they had any time to revoke any of her access she opened back the door with the badge of the man still knocked out. Throwing it onto the guy after she passed the door.  
Running as she was trying to remember the layout of the place, she almost heard the massive amount of footsteps too late. Slowing down, she pressed herself against the wall. Okay Blake, remember, Knee caps or Hands, No lethal point. your not killing anyone today. She took aim at the X corridors she was near of. only to gawk as the 20 guards just passed her unaware of her presence.  
"The intruder was last seen into the Administration Block ! Hurry along soldiers ! MOVE !"  
What ? Another intruder had tried to enter and got caught. Crap. This was complicating things.  
Well maybe not. She wasn't far from her entry point. and the guard just had been drawn out of the entire place. Maybe this was for the best. Anyway.  
Resuming running she reached the door she entered from...   
there was a foul smell of heated paint and burned metal that filled Blake with dread.   
"Oh no..."  
It was a security breach procedure. Fairly standard, but really expensive... a line of reactive chemical stabilized on all side of the door that, in case of a sufficient alert melted the door, welding it to it's frame. No one would ever open this door anymore without a torch and a lot of time. Blake had no other choice than to found another exit, undoubtedly way more guarded, because this one was condemned.   
and she didn't have much time. If whoever this intruder was got caught, guards would sweep the place for eventual accomplices. Looking at the plans on her PDA she thought as fast as she could.  
Any small door like this one had probably been sealed. Getting there was useless. The main door was probably still open, but would be so full of guards that it was useless to even try.   
The cargo docks ? There was two.the reception one was guaranteed to not have any vehicles in it, and she had no space suit.  
The other one forced her to go through all the manufacturing block of the facility that had the most chance of having changed through the years. this kind of place where narrow and with a low sight. She would easily be turned around and get herself lost. Finally, she opted for a middle ground : she was gonna get into manufacturing, but would keep following the seam with the other blocks until she reached the expeditions docks. If she kept following right turn after right turn, she would get to it eventually.

Still, this was a very dangerous plan, and she had to get near of administration.  
Yet it was her best bet. Ilia better pay her a nice bonus for that thing she stole. Or this was the worst gig ever.  
Following the path the guards took, she was soon getting out of her now condemned entry point, and into the manufacturing. Here numerous machines were making a ruckus, and she felt pretty confident to press on faster despite the noise she was susceptible to make.  
This block was the perfect example of a workplace full of machinery were the personnel was breathing rust and chemicals all day for fifteen hours longs, with no seating and no pause. This was the reason she refused to work for companies who were too big. Not only they didn't pay more than any other, but since they had so much money they didn't know what to do with it anymore, they didn't care one bit about Employee throwing the towel forty per day. They were in a position where they were able to hire the double everyday and continue being full indefinitely. They didn't even bother with a chart or anything and treated anyone who tried to work here like dirt.

Blake soon had to slow down, mainly because over the machines she started to hear gunfights. Crap. Her luck had decided to take a sabatical day apparently, the dumb intruder had gone her direction and was now pinned between the soldiers Blake followed. and the ones pursuing them... however this fight sounded very serious... Blake had no intention to go in there. But going through the rest of the block now would get her lost. Maybe she could sneak around near the fight ? this was a risky move. But getting lost was more dangerous, as the time she would lose here could very much be enough for the other... Was that a guard flying through this turn ?  
Blake then reflected on something else... what if the 'intruder' was way more than one person ? Or just really good ? The poor guard who had flown out of the next room was knocked on the head hard enough to sleep for a good while and his chest plate of bullet protection seemed to have been crushed into his rib cage. he was probably not going to die, but his life wasn't going to be fun the next few weeks for sure.  
Upon knowing that most of the guards were probably too distracted to notice her Blake decided to take the risk to throw a look onto this corner the man had come from.  
The place was in shamble. there were numerous machines damaged or destroyed, the debris of a wall that had fallen apart were scattered on the ground everywhere. There wasn't e single place on the ground were didn't stand some guards or their colleagues that already fell. and in the center was a blond girl. Yellow outfit. She was missing an arm, that had been replaced by an artificial combat limb, with a shotgun in a hand and a Plasma gun in the other. She was wreaking havoc on all the guards present in the room. Jumping from wall to wall with a clear martial art style, Piercing holes in the place with the thermal transmission of her projected plasma. Shooting off any guard who came too close of shooting her. But the most spectacular was without any question the movements and hand-to-hand combat of the girl. Her foot play keeping adversary at bay, her artificial limb punishing anyone who managed to get past it with blow who were with no doubts leaving everlasting traces. So much that even some of the guards were trying to run away from her, most of them to no avail. Blake stayed in awe a few second before remembering that she was not to be seen and dragged her head back behind the wall.  
This wasn't a petty theft. this girl had military training anyone could have seen that. and the insignia Blake noticed...   
This girl was something else. But Blake knew the place had way more guards, and would soon call upon the station's security if things dragged on, she needed to move. as much as it pained her to leave this girl here distracting the guards for her, she knew she had to. she would be overwhelmed at some point, it was certain. But her problem was the same, she needed to cross this place or go around it and take the risk to get lost doing so.  
and the more she was waiting, the bigger was the risk another guard wave would come behind her pinning her. She needed an idea and a good one, preferably.  
Her answer came when she spot a vent system probably filled with dust, going all the way to the other side of the room. It was fixated on the ceiling quite sturdily apparently, and she was quite light. as long as no one shoot and hit it heavily she should be fine. Even better, this vent was ending on the wall right upside her. All she had to do was use her blade to open it and climb in, as she did.  
as suspected, the vent was full of volatile garbage, dust, rust. Even some rodent, dead and alive.  
In fact, the vent was in a such poor state that Blake asked herself if the vent ever run some fresh air for the last ten years... there was regular metal grids in the vent showing exactly what was happening under her, and oh boy was it spectacular. This Yellow girl was still spinning and hitting the guards with everything she got, but even her had limits, and soon, she took more defensive stances, showing off even more of how she was trained. Cleverly using covers and projectiles picked up from the ground to conserve ammo and keep injuries to a minimum. then as escaping from the many gun shoots became impossible, she quickly reached for her combat arm pushing a button. Immediately, a translucent radiant blue light surround her, like a second skin.   
A kilpium field. But, this technology was strange. The Kilpium field were not supposed to stick near of the skin like that. Blake had seen few of them anyway, but even her knew this kind of technology was very advanced.   
As soon as her protections made all bullets connecting to it vanish into thin air, The girl abandoned defenses stances and attitude entirely. Getting more and more violent with each blow, throwing away her weapons, most likely empty at her adversary. Blake was forced to move very slowly in the vent because its present dirtiness made it more risky to move fast. If dust or other debris were to fall through one of the metal grid, she would overt herself immediately.

But the fight happening below her made her slow down even more. Each new grid showing her more of the fighter incredible technics, determination and resolve into this fight.  
Finally the last guard fell to his knee, and Blake thought for a second that this girl was actually gonna get out of it. But a second later, another waves of guards, at least ten in total from what Blake could tell, arrived.  
Nearly thirty of their colleagues grunting on the ground or in the nearby corridors where they were sent off to.  
The girl was unarmed. Tired. and her Kilpium field was faltering from all the damages it already stopped.  
The girl, much to her displease, knew it herself, as she lifted both her arms in sign of surrender.  
this fight was over. and soon, the place would be so full of guards that no one would escape them. and Blake was currently in the middle of a vent, with no more noise to cover any movements. Shit.

Then something else happened.  
"Miss you can't ! this is dangerous stop ! if your father of future husband hear about that they...  
-they will support that it is MY SOLEMN DUTY to personally humiliate whoever tries to rob the future partner of the SGC, what do you know of all of this ? You're a guard.  
-I... Yes ma'am !"  
Enterring the room was the white haired girl Blake had seen earlier. With a fierce look of cold rage.  
"YOU !" the intonation was so full disdain, and murderous anger that none of the guard could have known what was about to happen.  
The white haired girl walked right toward the blond one, on her way, she was forced to pass two guards who still had their rifle in hand aiming at the intruder. The white haired girl, a soon as she was at their level reach for both of their waist, grabbing their hand gun and pointing them at the head of their legitimate owner.  
Fortunately for them, theses were stunt weapons, and while they certainly lost a few brain cells, they'll live.  
Before anyone in the room could react, the Yellow girl as stunt by surprise as the other, the white hair girl had thrown her one of the weapon and started firing on all other peoples in the room.  
It wasn't long before the blond was firing too.  
The guards all fell in a matter of seconds.  
then both of the girls looked each other a few seconds.

When Blake saw a last guard raising his weapon in the blind spot of the two girl. She didn't think. a chill along her spine and a reflex reaction later, the vent grid exploded as her weapon was firing, the last guy falling, wounded at the shoulder.  
Blake, covered of dust and cobwebs jumped out of the vent. getting herself on the ground with agility.

The white haired girl lift a eyebrow  
"Oh. So you were two." the reaction of Blake was immediate.  
"No... we don't know each other...  
-What ? You're telling me there was TWO intrusion, the same day, at the same time?   
-Looks like it."   
It was the blond one who answered.  
a clear look of defiance and distrust on her face. as Blake was happy that no one was trying to shoot the other, she remembered that the base was on alert and that guards were probably on their way.  
"As much as I'd like to know why we all just saved each other, some without being aware they did, I'd like to point out it's not over yet, and that I'm for the idea of helping each other further..."  
it was the white haired girl who answered.  
"Great, because I didn't do it for free. I want out of here, and I'm gonna get out with you. You two have names ?  
-Yang Xiao long, call me Yang ... ehhh...  
-Weiss. Just Weiss."  
Both of them looked at Blake.  
Blake hesitated. None of them seemed to be malicious, but giving her name would be stupid. She could still correct it later if she felt like it, so she gave one of her alias  
"Bellaka."   
Sheathing Gambol shroud, Blake grabbed a weapon from one of the guard, and took the occasion to swept for ammo.  
As she Corked a semi auto rifle, she looked at the two other.  
"Nice to meet you."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had a great fun writing this, and as your read this chapter, I'm probably writing even more of it !   
> Team RWBY is not formed yet, but now almost all characters knows each other, the exception being ruby.  
> what do you thing of the style I gave to Yang ? and I still didn't show averything either ! Ohhh I'm so impatient of when I'm gonna talk about ****** ** ***** **** ***** ! this will be so cool ! I'm sure you'll like it !
> 
> I'd like to point out that my profile now contains a Link to a discord server of mine.  
> I'm especially active on discord, and I'd love to have you all over. feel free to come say hi any time you want. and if I'm not busy, we'll share messages hours long. ^^.
> 
> Cya there !


	4. Waking up from the dream

The first thing that crossed Blake as soon as her little impromptu team headed away from guards was how she had fired on this guy and compromised herself on a whim, instinct even.  
She never did that before.   
She just acted on impulse, and got out of the vent ready to get in a fight if she had to.  
Maybe it was the combat abilities she had seen this Yang perform. Or maybe the terrorized face the other girl had tried to hide with all her forces when she actually took the weapon of those two guards and shot them.  
Blake ignored why she did it. But clearly, she was very scared of what she actually did. She probably felt some remorse too. She may have gotten out on her own and had taken the risk to thrust perfect strangers. Well, that was done now, there was nothing to do about it anymore.

The second thing had been a sens of security, familiar and nostalgic. Team combat had happened in the Fang. and before Adam put everything of the brotherhood to the ground by possessiveness and spite, it had this kind of feeling. Your teammates being by your side, helping you, getting sure that everyone would make it back.  
Of course, not everyone was trusting in this group, but that happened before too.   
Anyway, after leaving the place, she had to ask.  
"I have a plan of the place, but it's kind of outdated, do you have any better ?  
— Nope~ !  
-It's my first time here, and I was led by guards, so I have no idea where we're going.  
-Okay, then follow me. I was planing to go to the expedition dock, with a bit of chance, we'll find a ship there, if we're not intercepted before, the cameras should be back up by now."  
there was a small pause as she stopped before a crossing, trying to determine her next direction.  
"That ain't gonna be a problem Bellakey.  
-Bellaka, and why?  
-Well I have a friend which may have knocked out the guard responsible for these cameras...  
-what ?  
-just know you're safe, I'll explain later."  
Okay so Yang had a friend who helped her... and managed to infiltrate the overwatch security and figure the right camera booth, taking him down... this felt more and more like Yang wasn't initially here for something trivial like simple data recovery. Another question for later Blake supposed.

Suddenly Men came from the right. That was the turn the girl were supposed to take. Clearly unaware of their presence at first, the guards turned to their direction.  
The two groups came face to face, and there was a single second of time out before everyone's reaction.  
Blake jumping behind a cover, pushing Weiss with her, saving both of them multiples bullets injuries, Yang firing her weapon several times before retreating behind the same manufacturing machinery.  
"Crap, took out two before they could react, there is at least five others.  
-If they radio-in our position we'll be in trouble. Yang is your kilpium's field restored ?"  
The blond only answered by grinning before pushing the button on her arm, the field appearing around her, charging in with a battle cry.  
Blake followed just behind, Gambol shroud in blade form, using Yang's kilpium shield as cover to progress.

The soldiers, took by surprise began to shoot too late. Not damaging the shield enough before the two girls were on them.  
Using her blade to deflect her adversary shotgun, Blake used her strength to get the canon of it to collide with the face of his colleague, Yang finishing off the first guy by a mighty punch  
A third soldier was about to retaliate on Blake when he was shot on the back by Weiss, who had stayed behind the counter, covering the both of them.  
The two others were then quickly knocked out.  
Sending a short look on the guy she took note that most of them were okay, although the one Yang had punched would have a broken jaw to fix.  
Not taking a real stop Blake made a sign to Weiss for her to follow and continued in the next turn. Both of her improvised allies taking the path behind her.

It wasn't long before they finally reached the dock, but a problem arose.  
"Shit.  
-What'zat ?  
-The door is in lockdown, It won't open.   
-Can't you just force it ?  
-No, lockdown cuts all interaction to the door at the exception to the reopening procedure, and it's hardwired, no way to interface with it." They were both pushed aside by Weiss.   
"What are you trying ?  
-Just a thing I learned, don't expect too much, but if it's the same as the one I know..."  
Getting a movable panel off the door, she accessed the doors cables. Thought Blake was kind of sure they weren't powered right now and would be useless to fiddle with. then Weiss pushed her arm all the way in to the shoulder, struggling while trying to get to something apparently. There was a small static sound as Weiss ripped apart a small electronic piece out. The door didn't open but all hydraulics lock emptied immediately with a sharp whistling.  
"I have the sames in my house, my father had the tendency to lock me in my room when he was going away from the suit.   
-But how are we going to move the locks now that they are screwed ???  
-I know how, but it's gonna take me some time.  
-How many ?  
-Five, no ten minutes.  
-You have five Weissy, Bella, I take the right, you the left. If you're near getting overrun, shout. I'll do the same. We need to keep them off the princess for now.  
-Princess ?!   
-Less talking, more unlocking please."  
The white haired girl had no time to reply, as Guards decided this was the right time to show up.  
Yang took the initiative by charging them, crushing one of them between the wall and her knee while yanking his weapon out of his hand, not without violently knocking it into his face, before turning him into a human shield, firing on the rest of his squad only to grunt when she felt the guy she was holding trashed painfully while he took hit after hit. His friends were soon on the ground, and she left the poor guy fall. His chest filled with golf ball size plasma impact. this was serious injury, he was probably not surviving this.  
However Yang seemed unfazed by it, carrying on her watch like normal.  
Blake had seen the whole thing from the other side of the corridor, and was not really surprised. It was obvious Yang was a veteran, and yet she could see that even if she didn't shed tear for this guy who would probably not make it back, she hadn't inflicted any of these wounds herself. The fight earlier and the one before that had made clear that Yang preferred to neutralize rather than kill. as did Blake, but in fights, one didn't always have the choice.

Her ears, top ones, warned Blake about incoming soldiers on her side, so she had to look the right way and be prepared. Rolling when she estimated the group must have been two meters away, getting them in a bad spot. She fired her rifle nine times, shot a first guy in the shoulder and knee, the second in the hand, the third and four took a bullet in the head who made Blake wince.  
The third next bullet got for the fifth one, and the last one hit right in the liver.  
Blake then jumped in them Knocking out the last one standing, still shouting his lungs out while holding his hand.

"First two are lifted ! Four more to go !  
-Roger that !  
-understood."   
As she shouted back, Blake back in her corner heard new footsteps in her way, and cursed when she heard the recognizable shimmering sound of a Kilpium field.  
"SHIT ! Yang ! Switch!"  
She rolled again emptying the rifle before escaping countless plasma impacts, feeling the metal heat up by thermal transmission. She thought she had touched only two guys, mainly because the shielded one was in front and protected his teammates behind him pretty well. Yang came on just after, her field already flickering a bit, and simply waited for them to come around the corner. She had a strange weapon in her hand, probably stolen from a guard, and had a terrifying smiled on her face.   
As soon as the protected guy was visible Blake saw his look of terror upon seeing the gun.  
He didn't even have the time to move before Yang fired, a blue steel electric arc large like an arm reaching his shield, who cut immediately, then the poor guy himself, who was projected against a wall, not moving anymore. Still smoking a bit. On the contrary of what Blake thought, he then rolled on his back whining, proving he was not dead. Yang simply threw the weapon to Blake before getting back to her side.  
Grabbing the new toy, Blake exposed herself once more getting rid of the teammates of the guy Yang had cooked rare. Apparently this gun seemed to leave nasty burns. But was apparently not that lethal. It also suffered from nearly no recoil which was something Blake was happy about. Recoil tended to be bad for her. She still had some remorse using it on living beings, they would suffer greatly if she believed the painful cries and grunt resulting of her latest target, but she wasn't killing peoples by the dozen with that thing, which reassured her.  
as much as she was a fighter, she didn't like killing peoples, and tried to avoid it as much as possible.

However ammo was starting to be a problem and it appeared Yang was on the same spot, as she asked :  
"WEISS ?   
-I'm on the last one ! But it's stuck, very rusty !"  
moving toward Weiss, Yang warned  
"out of my way !"  
Blake took it the door was getting opened with more convincing method and abandoned her post as well, not without firing the last Arc out of the batteries. It was heavy equipment, and she didn't even consider keeping it, tossing it on the ground and leaving it behind as soon as it was empty.

as soon as the two other girls were to a satisfactory distance, Yang's mechanic arm opened on three equidistant spots on the forearm, just after the elbow, showing some sort of exhaust.  
Before anyone could tell anything, Yang sprung into motion, the exhausts filling up with flames. It was a propulsion system, Blake finally realized.  
The first of Yang flew like Blake never saw any fist fly before, the door didn't simply open : the last lock was ripped apart and the motion of the door so strong the hinges didn't even seem to slow down the door when it was sent flying twenty meters away in a loud crashing sound. a part of the door frame had bent against the strength of Yang's punch, beyond any repair.

For a few seconds, neither Weiss nor Blake dared to move... the arms of Yang was a bit trembling, but undamaged. Blake knew this kind of equipment existed, but not on this shitty station. and she certainly not had the pleasure to ever see one up close.  
Self note : Never be Yang's Enemy. Blake mentally noted.  
this wasn't some dumb basic prosthetic. It had to be handmade ! Probably even be tailored especially for Yang. this kind of tech, to be the size and proportion of a normal arm, had to cost thousands of credits alone, probably around one hundred, one hundred fifty thousands credits at the bare minimum. and that was being nice.

then the few seconds passed, and Blake's and Weiss's revery ended. and Yang entered first into the docks. Followed by Weiss, then Blake.

It was more a hangar than a Dock. More so in fact since Grav-Arma was a weapon facturer, and as such equipped all his ships decently, so they could be able to defend them self against Piracy and other hostiles encounters from space. There was several docking bay piled in four store rack all aligned onto the two facing wall who formed the runway. Few were presently occupied. and most of them with thing that wouldn't help much, considering their size.

Blake had no idea how to pilot any of these anyway. The only time she did, she had just wing it and almost crashed into a freaking store. since she never had found any money to learn to pilot.

Yang, on the other hand, seemed to know what to search for and after a dozen of seconds called them  
"Here ! Over here !   
-Don't tell me this is our way out...  
-You know it ! Everyone gets onboard !   
-But this thing can't take us far ! We'll never leave the station with that !  
-Duh ! What do you think ? That I'm gonna leave the person who made sure cameras weren't a problem behind ? We'll lay low for a while, but I can promise you'll have your ticked out of there Weiss. Now get on board."

The ship was an old Titan A-51-ZK. Not exactly sturdy, not exactly fast. At least it had some decent weapons, hopefully they wouldn't have to use them.  
this was a common model for small travels between two stations, it was rarely used for inter-planetary travel, let alone inter-system, for the simple reason it was a very fragile ride. Most weapons were capable of neutralizing it almost instantly, if aimed right. It could haul for two tonnes of goods, plus the secondary cargo. 

Yang didn't even bother with the access panel, ripping it off its surface and connecting two cables expertly. The rear bay of the ship instantly opened.

As she got in Weiss could do nothing else but wince. All the systems and cable of the ships were apparent, which made for a very messy appearance. Little did she know, all Titans were like that. It made them easy to fix and clean, but less sturdy.

Yang rushed in passing Blake who just entered, jumping right into the pilot seat pushing buttons expertly.  
Weiss seemed worried, and after a bit of fidgeting asked.  
"The Hangar door won't open, what are we suppose to do ?  
-Welp, the way I see it, this model is equipped with 40-millimeters grenade launchers. Should be enough to damage the emergency fuse-locks and bypass the doors.   
-But that's gonna vent the whole air !  
-Yup ! Don't worry I'll give them enough time to piece it together and leave. However we're gonna have another problem before that. The dock clamps are locked onto the ship, and with them around we won't go anywhere. Weiss do you know how to fire a 9 mm auto-machine gun ?  
-Not really, I...  
-Well time to learn, me and Blake we're gonna release the clamps, you're in charge of covering us." Blake wasn't sure she felt confident in putting a novice on a turret who'd have line of sight to her, But the ship's thrusters had started to give a strong purr, and she didn't get time to protest, Yang jumping out of the piloting seat and making her a sign to follow.  
"Weiss the Turrets controls are on the right panel of the pilot seat, don't touche anything else unless you know what you're doing."

Getting out of the Ship both Blake and Yang both looked around for any sorts of control tower.  
It was Blake who spot it. It was more of a control room actually since it was inside the hangar, and twenty meters up hanging from the ceiling.It was accessed by a catwalk, linking the room to a door embedded in the very last meters of the wall.  
Made so it wasn't easily accessed from the hangar while still being technically in it.

"Yang ! Follow me !"  
Rushing toward the left rack of docks, Blake took a first grip onto the metal frame.  
If they wanted to get there they needed to climb this as it was the tallest structure of the room. But it would take forever. and forever was not a safe option. Then Blake had an idea : Gravity in ships and stations was created with special machinery, for most room it was hidden in walls and fairly small, but this one was huge. It had to be visible somewhere...

It was a fairly obvious bump onto the opposite wall of the hangars' door leading to the vacuum. Fairly hard to miss.  
She turned toward Yang, looking at her feet. Like she was suspecting, Yang was wearing some grav-boots. Nothing too fancy, but more than enough to move around in zero-g zone. as for Blake, she knew how to manage with and without. Folding Gambol shroud into the gun form, she fired her all magazine into the Gravity generator. Not only will this slow down guards, but it would facilitate their climbing a lot.  
As suspected, the generator was powerful, it had to be if it was using Plasma-Battery or more accurately, accumulators, Blake had in all honesty no idea why there were called battery anyway.  
After getting only a few shots in, the Plasma leaked and melted everything into the machinery, making it a big furnace for fifty seconds before no new plasma could be formed into the now totally melted battery. then the White hot metal would only slowly start to cool down into a useless bundle of mixed and melted metals.   
Immediately after she shot, Gravity weakened. By the time the machinery had fully melted, it was gone completely. Yang's boot automatically kicked in, forcing her to stay linked to the ground, and Blake simply jumped straight in the direction of the catwalk they were supposed to reach.

Meanwhile, Weiss, now in the pilot seat was trying the controls of the turret for the first time with apprehension and excitement mixed. The Turret's camera was projected directly on the large window of the cockpit. and was linked to the controls.  
Giving a first Yank on the turret system, she was happy to found the turret responding properly and with enough precision. Disengaging the security, she took aim for the door she and the two other had arrived from.

In retrospective, Yang should have told her that the recoil of the turret had enough strength to move the turret around and that she needed to compensate for it, because when the first soldiers passed the door, and she opened fire, she only touched the first two, before panicking, her bullets going everywhere as she tried her best to re-set the aiming reticle on the right place.

Blake evaded one of them, or to be more fair, the bullet grazed her before she even realized what was happening, while Yang hid behind the metal beam she was walking on.  
"WHAT THE HELL WEISS ?!" When the turret finally calmed down and was once again correctly aimed, Yang grumbled, before resuming her vertical walk.  
Finally, on top, Blake helped Yang, offering her an arm. Who was gladly accepted, Yang jumping the gap between the Ship-rack and the catwalk and catching Blake's arm to stop herself and rotate in the correct position to lock herself onto the metal ground.  
As soon as she was, both of them took the direction of the room filed of computers, the door put aside, the entire sloped walls were Glass. and while the ground was solid. It was layered with screens showing the camera feed of the ground underneath the Control room. Giving to anyone in the room an almost 360° wide field of view.  
The sound of a door made them both turn around. Men coming from the door on the other side of the catwalk were running toward them. However, they had no time to reach the other side being unaware the next room had no gravity, they had rushed in without a care for the handrail and now were floating around trying desperately to grab onto something, the loud 9 mm turret took them out before they made three meters from the door anyway.

Okay maybe Weiss wasn't that bad with this thing...  
Kicking the wall near the entrance to thrust herself to the nearest computer, Blake searched among the programs which one would trigger the right claw and release the ship.  
It was full of ship in there. Mainly manifest of leaving cargoes, some old programs, even some spyware Blake knew somehow. Finally, getting into the Clamp release program, she managed to open it. only to be asked an employee ID.

Off course there was an informatics lock to it. Nothing Blake couldn't have handled, except she didn't have to. Someone nice enough, or dumb enough, depending on the point of view, had left his card right here in the very room, and it was floating twenty centimeters of Blake's face.

This was the reasons why security was an important measure that all employee needed to be briefed about. Grav-Arma wanted to save more of their precious money, and jumped the informatics security course of their employee ? Now they were paying the price.

Activating the clamps, Blake started their release, only to be given a warning sound and message.  
"Fuck ! The Fourth clamp is blocked ! It's malfunctioning !  
-can't you unblock it ??  
-Not from here, and it would take hours.  
-Then we will have to settle from ripping it apart with us, let get back down."

The door on the opposite side of the catwalk opened. But this times they got smarter, instead of rushing toward them, they fired from where they were.  
Shit !  
Blake threw herself on the side behind cover, a constant stream of bullet and plasma pullets being flood by the door. Shooting and dispersing even more the papers and furniture of the room.  
"This place doesn't look like a good exit anymore...   
-Welp, time to bring out the real guns. Then."  
On this word Yang balled up her fist punching quite frankly on her robotic arm making a piece go up, revealing a chamber, Getting out what appeared to be a plasma cell, big and irradiating with blue-steel light, out of her jacket front pocket, clearly made for one time deal.   
Once it was safely pushed in by the front of the hidden Plasma canon her arm possessed, She looked at Blake with a serious look.  
Blake understood pretty well, despite this being their first, and probably only cooperation. and she took upon herself to jump from her hiding spot to another, drawing all the fire behind her giving Yang an opportunity to shoot.   
When Yang took aim, rolling in front of the door, she shot right through to the other; and had to turn on herself and reception herself onto the glass windows of the room just because of the recoil of that thing. From the scream of terror and horrors that Blake heard she knew she had touched someone with that.

The volley-ball sized plasma pullet had sunk in the belly of a guy and dispersed while leaving his body, projecting sun-hot-blue plasma and coagulated, roasted blood everywhere on his teammates. There was a pain clamor as they all suddenly went to the ground trying desperately to escape the liquid fire that had been sent everywhere. Rolling on the ground to put down the fire that was sinking in their skin. It was a horrible weapon, and the look on Yang clearly showed how much she hated using it on people. But it could have been said, from an objective point of view, that beside the everlasting scars these guys would get, the only one to die of it was probably going to be the one Yang shot, who had now a volley-ball sized hole through his guts. Yang had probably sparred more life than if she had simply shot them all with bullets.

Yet, Blake didn't felt that way at the moment, nor did she had the time to contemplate the true number of life taken by Yang's actions, as time was of the essence, she just didn't listen the remorse and got on the catwalk toward the ship-rack, Yang behind her.

Getting down was much faster that climbing, and soon, both Yang and Blake found them self getting near to the Titan again, now released from 3 of his clamps.  
The machine gun was firing constantly, scaring away guards who tried to get in the hangars.  
Yang got in first.  
"Weiss, off the seat, go by the rear door and look the clamp still on, tell me what you see. Bella give an eye to the top door near the control room, don't let anyone get near. I'll try to hold the front door but I'm gonna need concentration, this ship is a freaking anvil to pilot."

The orders were clear, and none of the two girls addressed found a reason to discuss, executing themself immediately.

Yang pushed the throttle firmly pushing the ship forward. The clamp whined a metallic sound, but didn't budge much.  
"Weiss ???  
-Not working ! You've gotta push stronger !  
-I can't, or we'll get right through the wall !"  
She jumped out of her seat and opened her arm once more.   
She only had another one of these, so she needed to aim right. Loading the cell before she took aim. She shot the clamp almost on the weakest spot. Hopefully that'll do some good.  
Getting back to her seat she pushed once more.

All while Blake had started to fire on the numerous guys arriving from the catwalk. Most of them had bullet weapons, not very efficient for ships, however, if concentrating enough their plasma firepower, they could seriously damage the ship, so Blake prioritized the plasma shooters.  
"I won't be able to stop them long enough, we're sitting ducks here !  
-Yang, you're almost there it's bending !"   
Soldiers were rushing them from every side, Blake couldn't afford to show herself anymore. and hid after being almost not missed, by a plasma pellet. Feeling her waist being very painful. Looking down, her skin and traces amounts of flesh were gone.  
"YANG !"   
Using all the thrusters had, Yang pushed the ship out, ripping the clamp and a part of the hull with it. not enough to be a problem hopefully. As she feared the ship had taken a lot of speed and Yang really thought she was gonna crash them all into the walls. She closed the rear bay, where Blake was firing and dodging bullets as she could Before switching to the 40 mm grenade, shooting the release fuse of the hangar, taking more time to the last one. 

Time the remaining soldiers used to leave before all air was vented, as Yang intended.  
A few shots later, the door was floating in space, the ship rushing between the two parts of it.  
Allowing herself a bit of a breath, Yang slumped on her chair.  
"Fuck, that was close."  
after a small pose, handling the controls, she asked.  
"Is Everyone accounted for and okay ?  
-I took some bullets a bit to close to feel comfortable, but I'll live. I've seen worse, and you... Weiss, was it ? You're okay ?"  
Before she even answered, she rushed to Blake, looking at the declared injuries. a good amount of bullet had grazed her, one clearly ripping a good amount of skin with it. It looked painful and some blood was escaping. Finding the first aid of the ship she pushed some bandages on that, getting a pained but thankful grunt out of Blake.  
"I'm fine... I... Oh, my god... I thought we were gonna die here..."   
Yang who was still piloting and doing her best to use any cranny or dark enough place to avoid being seen laughed it off.  
"That ? Oh, come on, that was nothing. Well, okay, this was a lot for three people. But I actually done crazier things, although I wasn't alone at that point."  
It had been said cheerfully. Blake even sensed a bit of Proudness into it. It only reinforced her need to know. Who was she in a ship with right now ?"  
Weiss was probably the more shocked. She had done her part brilliantly, using equipment she never had before, shooting at people. although Blake guessed she was at least initiated into hand weapons manipulation. Many rich person were. The girl spoke with a clear and dignified voice. Crystalline and pure, with a touch of tiredness into it.  
"Well, I suddenly found myself drained of all energy... more than I have ever. I'm not sure I could stand on my feet right now...  
-Aww, don't worry Weiss, I had the same thing the first time I got caught into true action, you're just processing. It's fine.  
-Is it ? I mean... I killed peoples... I never wanted that."   
Weiss who was now sitting against the wall of the small cargo bay, suddenly folded onto herself, getting her knees against her chest as she hid her face on them.  
Blake had been there. She knew how it was to kill somebody for the first time. And quite frankly, Weiss had been lucky. The first real peoples she took out, she was twenty-five meters away from them and protected by a vacum-quality glass cockpit. She had not seen the look of horror while her adversaries realized they wouldn't be back home tonight. She didn't have to face their pleading looks as they were already fatally injured and you could do nothing anymore. Blake had, and it had not be pretty.  
However, while Blake had learned that you could never forget the face of someone you had ended the life of. she also knew it was a good thing. Remorse was what made them different from sociopaths. It was important to remember that while killing may arise as a necessity, it would always be a terrible solution, one no one should rely on systematically.  
Of course, even today, there was also several peoples Blake had no regret she killed. She still wished another solution was possible. But when you were in a gang for as long as Blake had, some rival clans taking so many of the peoples you considered your family, and it a setting were said family socially encouraged you to put bullets through the heads of these peoples...  
Yeah. She had done darker than gray in the moral territory sometimes.  
But some others were positives. When she had taken down this slaver, she had probably saved fifty women man and child from being sold off like furniture... one lost for many saved.  
Yet it always felt wrong when pulling the trigger.   
a long stretchy silence fell into the cabin and Cargo hold.  
One no one dared to oppose for a very long time. Blake used that time to get a closer look on what the ship was looking like.  
It was fairly simple. You entered by the rear door, getting straight into the cargo hold, approximately two meters by three. There, on the right and left side just before the two walls got narrow and led to the cockpit, there was a pair of ladder, getting up to the secondary cargo. Often used as sleeping quarters by peoples who didn't had enough time of money to own something else than the ship. It was fairly common. then, if you ignored the ladders, there was, on the opposite side of the rear door, the cockpit. A single person chair with controls and a very large 180° visibility vacuum grade glass giving onto the exterior.

"Where... where do I go from here?"   
Tuning toward Weiss who was still contemplative of what she had just done, Blake felt a need to reassure her, removing her mask for the first time since she got in the facility.  
"I know it's hard Weiss. I have felt the way you have two times before, each of them were turning points of my life, and while I cannot say I'm proud of all the choices I have made, I know I'm already far stronger, and smarter, and more mature than I was, probably because of these choices... What you did back there saved at least three lives.  
-Three ??  
-that's right. You, me, and Yang. If the peoples who died there deserved it or lost their lives to something that was worth the guilt is something you'll have to come to on your own, but the only thing you can do now, is to make sure it was worth it. If you feel these lives could have been saved, then make amend by avoiding further lives beings destroyed. Starting with yourself, then the other around you.  
-Like... work for the betterment of peoples ?  
-That a start. if you wanna start there. But maybe it's soon to think about it. Let the events sink in. I'm sure you'll have time to consider your situation and come with a decision on your own."  
It was good advice... Blake hoped so at least. She had given what she knew to be her personal truths, hoping it would help Weiss.

 

"-I... I was getting married. To someone I didn't know, My father ordered me so."  
Suddenly, it all came together. The scar covering Weiss's face. Her name, the white hair it all converged into Blake's head, memories resurfacing.  
"I knew I heard you name before ! You're Weiss Schnee ! Heiress to the Shnee gravityte company !  
-Ex-Heiress actually. I was disowned recently. I suppose it hasn't made it to the public yet..."  
-You're... crying ?  
-It's fine. I guess it's just coming out now I'm out of this place... I was at that to get sold... I... was so scared, and I felt like no one could help me. when I heard there were intruders my legs just moved on their own. The guards tried to stop me... But... What I am supposed to do now ? If I run, they'll search for me everywhere. Will I ever have peace ?"  
Blake hummed thoughtfully. Not the heiress she ever imagined. Not a fun life either apparently. Still, Blake felt she had to ask.  
"Weiss, what are you... thinking of the faunus ?" the girl locked at her with a questioned look.  
It was normal, she still had her bow after all, from a human to another, this question seemed like coming from nowhere a bit. Weiss answered anyway.  
"I think that they are peoples who were treated badly from the start. That made them react badly them self... First the bigs company where telling everyone that genetic modding would be the future, but as soon as they didn't need test subjects anymore, the faunus were discarded.  
then, the population saw these peoples with new endowments, and a stupid witch hunt was launched from nowhere. Worst, since the public had made so clear they wanted none of this, the companies themselves pushed the whole thing under the carpet and pretend it never happened so it wouldn't hurt their reputation... It was very unjust to faunus, who were discriminated. a lot of them lost their work and became poor, which only made things worse, as the big companies tend to exploit poverty when they can..."  
This... was a lot more of an answer Blake expected. It made her smile. So some peoples weren't evil when they were born into rich family... she was honestly surprised. and in front of such a genuine response, she could only be sincere herself. Grabbing her bow she undid it, flicking her ears, giving them a much-needed stretch after such a long time confined.  
"Oh... I see.  
-Yeah... You're pretty much spot on Weiss. I sure hope everyone could see the matter like you do.  
That would have made things a lot easier for us.  
-I... I wasn't always like this... There was a time I was just like my father... I just happen to meet someone who showed me the wrong of my ways. I'm glad they did.  
-Yeah, I am too. Hey Yang! is everything okay in there ?  
-Yeah, yeah, I'm getting near a dock. Don't worry, it's a safe one. Not exactly official docking bay of the station."  
At these words, Blake painfully got up to see. Giving a hand to Weiss so both of them could see.  
For Blake who had been on the station all through her life, it was quite strange seeing it from the exterior. It wasn't exactly big. It was only housing about twenty thousands peoples after all. So not that much.

From there the station was mostly metal, except for the tiny bit of a Glass dome. The top of the city. Only the richest of rich lived there, with the head offices of big firms.  
The visible line below, that was the medium city. Where the people who managed to still have a bit of money after the rent lived, it was the place where most shops and business was happening, and the classic place to found the main hangars to the station.  
Under that, it was the lower section. Here, it was the jungle: some place where nice enough to live, but making money and eating was a real problem, some others, like Ilia's section, were overrun by so much crime and gangs that even security feared going there. And the army didn't do much. Only going in to arrest people when they were becoming a bit to big, when they were raising a bit too many peoples and started to talk about taking over.

If you decided to go lower than that in the station, it was the sub-systems. Containing previous generations air provider who fed the lower section in air. Most were damaged, and had fuel or exhaust leaking in it, making it for a very poor air to breath.  
All the sub-systems were either very low, or didn't have any atmosphere at all. Only hunted peoples hid there. and the place was so filled with machine and had changed so much over the years, that it was a deadly labyrinth. It was easy to get lost and die from the depletion of your oxygen reserve.  
The air fed to the lower section was, for a lack of better word, crap.  
Long exposure was a slow but sure poison to take. and Blake had seen what it could do to peoples in some ten years. It wasn't pretty. Usually, the pulmonary system was the first red flag. If you were coughing for more than seven days under there, there was a good chance you had between one and ten years to live if not treated. But like everything else. healthcare was expensive on the station, and most of the people already down there had no money to spare.  
Then, it was the skin problems. It was drying and dying. If not attended to, it could start to undergo necrosis, then gangrene.   
If you survived to this point, the next problem was immune failure followed by death, a generally gruesome and painful one.   
Technically, maintaining the air at a respectable level of pollution was the job of the peoples leading the stations. But no one this low had any money to sue them. So they didn't fix any of it.  
The only reason there was still oxygen there is because there was courageous peoples going in the subsystems to manage the repair they could. It was either that or dying of lack of air.

And Blake had learned in time that almost all Councils station followed this pattern. Rich, middle class, poor, systems. and at each new station it was rinse and repeat. Blake had come to hate it. It was the very symbol of what was wrong with this whole society, where only possessions and lineage mattered. Either way, Yang got them closer to the lower sections, placing the ship in front of an opening that was probably supposed to be a condemned hangar from the construction of the place.  
These places were sealed centuries ago. So when it opened before them, Blake was a bit surprised.  
However, the more she saw Yang, the more she realized she seemed to have quite the reach when it came to closed of places and things known undoable.  
As soon as the massive hermetic door shut close behind them, Yang landed the ship without even   
the slightest amount of delicacy.  
Weiss almost got her face crushed onto the rear door, Blake, still against the wall of the cargo bay winced.  
"Oops ! Sorry ! I sometimes forget not everyone is used to my amazing skills of piloting..."  
Weiss apparently wanted none of that.  
Leaving her seat Yang opened the rear door punching the button with no concern for the integrity of it.  
"Be more careful ! What would we do if you destroyed the landing gears ?  
Actually, we would not care since I'm about to blow this thing to hell anyway...  
-WHAT ?"  
Blake, who knew how things worked around with stolen ship explained.  
"Its standard procedure when you stole a ship, Weiss. We can never be sure there is no tracing chip or other transmitter onboard stolen goods. So as soon as possible, you're gonna want to destroy it and be picked up by legit material you own."  
It was something Blake had done one or twice in the fang.   
"Now, Weiss, Yang, It has been delightful, and in other circumstances, I would have stayed to chat a bit, but I have an injured friend who needs money I need to pick up. so in case you don't have anything else to say or ask me. I'm gonna take my leave here." Blake painfully got up. the bandage Weiss had done wasn't made by an expert, but it was surprisingly good for a novice. Even more so coming from a girl who had probably spent the entirety of her life being told to serve only her own interests.  
"Actually, I still have something to tell to Weiss and Ya. First of all, you bella. I need to know why you were in that base, if you don't mind me asking."   
There was some tension in the question, and Blake felt that she Yang would not take no for an answer here... She didn't like it. but she had seen the girl in action, and knew perfectly well she had no chance if Yang and her got into a fight. She knew she wasn't supposed to, but if she gave no name, it couldn't be that bad right ? So she simply shrugged while answering vaguely.  
"Just some data retrieval, nothing big. To be fair even the pay is fairly small, less than forty thousand credits worth. Why do you need to know ?  
-Well. For my part I needed to get a friend out of there, but I didn't find her there, and I had to go away before I could explore the whole place. It was way more defended than last time we checked. Have you seen here ? Red long hair, Green hazel eyes. She's very special, you can't miss here.  
-No, Yang, sorry. I wish I had seen her, but I didn't. Nothing like her anyway. My boss and informant told me apparently they raised security out of nowhere.  
-It's likely that was to make sure she got no rescue... which kind of worked... Crap.  
-Can I know her name ? If you don't mind me asking ?  
-Pyrrah. Pyrrah Nikos... she was abducted.  
-I"m sorry I couldn't be of any help."

There was a small pause, and Blake took it as things being done there she was turning to leave the ship when Yang spoke again.

"Bella wait. I have an offer.  
-What kind ?  
-Do you... like it here ? I mean, I'm asking but I already know this kind of station, I grew up on a similar one. Shitty work, shitty Firms, not a minute for yourself... You being a Faunus can't help. I can get you and Weiss off the station.  
-To go where ?  
-That the thing. I can leave you wherever you want, but we both know that all Helios officials stations a more or less like this... However my ship is always ready to take more recruit. We have nice rooms, fair pays, and you don't have more than 40 hours of works per week. which is sure better than working here. We're fair to everyone. and you're free to leave with your savings whenever you want.  
-Somethings tells me it's not exactly the kind of official traveling ships."  
there was a small pause, Yang shrugged it off not that bothered to answer honestly.  
"I won't hide it. We're more or less outlaws. and it's not exactly safe everyday. But the cap's pays bonuses for risks and emergency work anyone pulls off. and while you might put your life in line, at least you get to enjoy life before you die. That's a lot better than anyone on the lower levels of your station can pretend to have right now. Personally, I'm more in because it feels right and let me have all the adventures I want."

Blake was not born the day before. this seemed way too bright and nice to be true, and she didn't hesitate to point it out to Yang.  
"Why would a captain do so many efforts and pay so much his men when he can simply pull off the same crap as everybody ? Why would your captain be different than all the Firms who exploit people ?  
-Because our cap was where you were at first Bellaka. Where we all end up if we're not born into rich family... and while money doesn't interest the cap, believe me when I say that all the crew on the Nevermore have a very strong political objective... We're all tired of the Firms, of the council. Of the fact they can get away with anything while we're taking fines after fines for the tiniest little things. I understand your doubts, I had the same at first. But believe me when I say that money is not what the peoples think about on the ship."

Blake frowned. It was an interesting way of seeing things, and Blake had heard stories of piracy movement who had for only objective to push the council out of the Helios system. But how in the hell was a small resistance capable of doing that ? The Council was an alliance of four technologically more advanced and more numerous lifeforms. That plus the more than funded army of Helios, part of the council too. no resistance could be up to the task. Beside, even if the ship survived enough to procure a meaningful life, Blake had Ruby. and Ruby and her had project here. Well, Project to leave, but, Blake could never bring Ruby on such a dangerous place. That and it'll probably meant telling Ruby about her past, that Blake had hoped to leave buried behind her. Then there was the moral question : what was guaranteeing her that this wasn't another fang waiting to happen? What stopped them from turning maniac ? Nothing. Theses were peoples Blake knew nothing about. and she didn't felt right with the idea of taking such a leap of faith in the dark.

However all these things were a bit harsh to say to the face of someone who seemed to genuinely believe in a movement. So Blake simple invoked the simplest reason to refuse.

"Yang, while I'm flattered by your offer, I'm sorry to say that I have no right to give an answer. I have other peoples on the station I care about. Peoples who have never seen fights in their lives and some others who did, and that I want to protect from that specifically. Because while I understand the necessity of it, I cannot say it's a good thing to be able to behold an entire squad of men being plasma-burned without shedding a tear like we both did. This isn't a life for my friend, and while I'll admit I was doing exactly this today, this is a life I left behind me four years ago. The only reason I was in this base today is because of money problems I had no other way to overcome."  
Yang simply gave her a understanding smile.  
"It's okay. I can understand that pretty well. Just know I've transferred my PDA address to you. The Nevermore will be leaving this place tomorrow night. if you change your mind before that. Just give a ring. We need peoples like you Bella. Or you Weiss.   
-Me?!   
-Uh, Yeah, Duh, you watched our back several times and opened a door that neither me nor Bella could. I would be interrogated right now, if not for your intervention when I surrendered."

A small tapping on the ramp got everyone turning.  
"Ah, you're finally here. Guys this is Neo. Neo, Weiss Schnee, without her I'd be in a cell right now, so be nice, And Bellaka, who also helped us."  
The girl who had tapped on the metal to signal herself was a girl with a fullset of space worthy armor, her helmet being between her waist and elbow, both Blake and Weiss could see that she had doubled colored hair, all the left part being pink while the left was brown. She was exceptionally small being less than a meter and a half tall.   
Her expression was interrogative, which didn't escaped Yang.  
"Sorry Neo, I didn't found her... I promise we'll do better next time."  
There was a clear sadness in Yang voice. and Neo simply left a sight of deception before getting out. Weiss actually asked before Blake could.

"-Why would they keep a prisoner in a Weapon facility with no cell ?  
-Pyr is a bit special. I'm sorry I can't say more than that. I promised."

Blake who was almost out of the ship turned one last time.  
"I hope you'll find her then. Good luck Yang. You too Weiss."  
And she got off. Leaving behind her the proposition Yang made, although she kept the PDA number just in case.

 

 

 

***********

 

 

When ruby finally woke up, she was glad she wasn't alone. Blake was there. Sleeping. She was in a weird position which interrogated ruby a lot.  
The hospital room was clean and smelled of disinfectant. Ruby hated that smell almost as much as she hated that kind of place. Mostly because of the bad memories. When she had learned her mom died, she was brought here so that they decided if she was able to live on her own.  
The real way to phrase that was probably 'to see if we can call you crazy, or retarded and take the most money possible from your account. In this society, mental health care wasn't compassionate.  
If you showed vulnerability, a psychologist somewhere was rubbing his hand together at the amount of money he could get out of you.   
She clearly remembered how much she had felt that in the fake sweetness of their voice, how they just tried to rig her into saying things that weren't true.  
If she hadn't felt that that day, she could be screaming, drugged into a padded room.  
Blake was snoring peacefully, sitting into a chair, the upper part of her body bent forward onto the bed. She had that look people have when they sleep. Like nothing in the world is wrong.   
She was about to wake her up and signal that she was awake and alive when Blake moved, rolling in her sleep with a grunt of pain...  
This, and the weird position of Blake interrogated her... even more so was a piece of fabric getting out of Blake's shirt.  
Tugging on said shirt, Ruby saw that it was Standard Gauze, there was a small amount of dried blood that had sunk through it. but not enough to be threatening. Not that ruby wasn't scared either way.  
Pushing Blake's shoulder repeatedly, she managed to shake the faunus girl enough to wake her up.  
She was groggy for a minute before remembering where and why she was.  
"Ruby ! You're awake. How do you feel ?"  
That was a good question. Ruby really expected an iron barre getting all the way though her belly to leave greater pain, yet she felt none, in fact, she felt pretty strong, in way she didn't in weeks. and she was also really less sleepy than last time she woke up from a bed...  
"I... I feel fine? I mean, physically, at the very least, I'd say I'm okay. How long was I out ?  
-Only two days. The cellular reconstruction and the administration of artificial blood should have you ready to leave right now normally.  
-Wait wowow ! How did we pay for that ?  
-Don't worry, Ruby, It's not important right now.  
-Yes ! Yes it is !   
-Ruby it's okay...  
-NO ! Blake I need to know. How much do we have now..."  
Blake took a long inspiration.  
"We're around thirty-six thousands credits right now." There was a long pause. Blake knew Ruby was gonna question it. what she didn't know was how she was what question she was gonna ask, and how she would be able to answer them...  
"What ?  
-Like I said...  
-No no, I heard you, but, that's the double of what we had, where is the half of that coming from ?  
-Well, your injuries were miraculously covered by our crappy insurance, but the artificial blood wasn't. and we hadn't enough to pay for it. you would have been forced to stay home and the rent would have eaten everything. So I had to found a way around. Don't worry though, I've managed quite well..."

Suddenly, Blake's injuries, that she was hiding, were even more scary.   
"Blake what did you do ?  
-I called out for help to an old friend.   
-Did, did they do this injuries to you ?  
-What ?! NO ! I... Ruby, please, for now everything is fine, I promise we'll talk about it later, but right now, can't we just not ?"  
The red haired girl strongly shook her head. It was out of question. Blake had bleeding injuries. this was addressed now.  
Blake slumped into her chair in defeat. She was not getting out of this one it seemed. She had always hoped ruby would not have to learn. However, her silence gave ruby the room to ask a question.  
"Blake ? When do you think we're gonna be able to leave this place ?" there was something horrible in the way she said it. there was a tiredness Blake had never heard in Ruby joyful's voice. It was alien, to see Ruby like this.  
-I... I don't know, probably five, or ten years ?"  
When ruby got her eyes up looking right into Blake's eyes, into Blake's soul, Blake felt a shiver run along her spine...  
"I don't think I'll be able to continue on this long Blake. We're eating the same food everyday. We're working eighteen hours a day, the rest of the time is spent between moving around the station and sleeping. We have different shifts, so we don't even see each other. this is the first real talk we had in months. I'm starting to have the sensation I'm loosing grip here Blake. I work, and I work, and I work more in the hope of having a more peaceful life one day... But the fact is it's the same everywhere... no way to escape. and I'm tired of it... I'll be honest, when the hydrogen line of the apartment exploded, while I was floating in the middle of the room, for a moment I felt relieved it was probably over... And a bit frustrated I wasn't killed on the spot even... I can't do this anymore Blake. We can't have friends, we can't have fun, we can't have nice food... It's either working your ass off for nothing, or Working your ass off to be able to buy a miserable pack of cookie every four month..." Blake didn't let her finish her phrase. Getting up despite her pain she hugged the redhead tightly...  
The look ruby had given her... it was a broken look. Something Blake had seen only when desperation was getting near the starving yourself state... She searched and search how she could have let things get this bad before the answer came by analyzing Ruby's speech... she wasn't there. Work had them separated most of the time. They had decided to stick together because it was the last thing they could do to go on. yet this place had managed to get them away from each other without her really noticing.  
A feeling of dread filled Blake... If she just encouraged Ruby to continue, where was this road leading ? Would Ruby be strong enough to make it until they could leave ? Or would Blake one day simply walk in on a corpse in her own room ? And even if she managed to hold on. would Blake be able to as well ? At what cost could they survive this ? All these question bundled into Blake's mind as she was feeling her shirt getting wet From Ruby's tears...  
The sudden and cold realization that it was impossible for then to continue on like this fell on Blake... She had wanted so much to just leave this place. But not like this. Not by seeing her only friend at first so joyful and full of energy being drained until nothing remained but a desire for all of this to end.  
Pushing Ruby back she looked at her face.  
She had refused Yang's offer already, and had decided to not bring it up to Ruby. Yet she now felt very conflicted about this choice, for a simple reason : She had chosen that selfishly. Decided that Ruby was not to be in danger, or to take risks because she needed her.   
She had felt that it was her responsibility to protect Ruby, when she had no right to decide for her.   
"Ruby... what if we could just leave now ?  
-Uh? wha ? But ? You just said ?  
-It's not exactly safe. It's... I didn't want to bring it up, but yesterday, someone invited me. to leave with them. I, uh, explained I had you and could not leave you here alone, but...  
-Stop. Explain."   
Blake took another long breath of the fresh, if not full of chemicals, air of the room.  
"It's basically a Pirate ship in look of new members. They pretend to pay well, and to not give more than forty hours of work per week. Which sounds insane when you and I accumulate more than two hundred hours... but. Apparently, they just don't want the firms and the council anymore. But Ruby, listen to me. If we get with these peoples, any day, a ship might show up and blow us out in the vacuum. If we help them on the ground, we might end up being wanted criminals. It's not safe.  
-Let's do it.  
-Did you ? Actually listened to anything I just said ?  
-Blake, let's be real, you and I both know this place is killing us. what do we have to lose ?  
-I... you.  
-But you'll have me. with you from the very beginning to the very end. I can't continue on like this Blake. I don't care if I die tomorrow or in fifty years from now. I never want to work for these stations ever again.   
-I... okay. if you feel this is right. Let's do it. let me give a few calls first, get sure this will pose no problems. Okay ?"

Blake got up and out immediately.  
In her chest, her heart was beating way more than it did when she was fighting the day before.  
Mainly because she was about to do something she was very scared to do. But just like Adam had abused her, this station was. She knew ruby was right. She just she wished she wasn't.

Placing her PDA on a nearby table, she launched a first call.  
"Yes ?  
-Hey Ilia, it's me again.  
-Oh, Blake, is something up ?  
-Yes. I'm gonna need for you to come take the disk yourself. Can you come to the Huerta's Hospital ? In the intermediary levels ?  
-I... I can but why ?  
-I'll be leaving tonight. Probably for good. It came up at the last second I'm sorry.  
-What ? is it about this girl you met ?? I though you said.  
-Yes, but I changed my mind. Can you come or not ?  
-I can, I'll be there in an hour or so?  
-That would be nice of you... thanks, Ilia. For everything.  
-Stop it Blake, you'll say all the cheesy things you want in when I'll be there in person."   
Blake rolled her eyes.   
"By the way, I still have this strange holographic data storage I talked you about earlier. What do I do with that ? You'll take it too ?  
-does it does anything ?  
-No, apparently, it's processing something since the moment I picked it up. at first I thought the super calculator was helping it, but apparently it was the opposite. It was slowing down this things. The calculations capacities and the data size of this thing is huge, I just dont know what it is...  
-Well, We'll see when I get there.  
-Okay."  
Closing the call, Blake didn't even bother to grab the PDA back, just launching the next one.

"Helllllloooo" the way to cheerful and bright voice coming from the other side of the call was looking a lot like Yang, Yet, the attitude was so different from the last time they met Blake had to ask.  
"Is this really the PDA of Yang xiao long ?  
-Oh Bella !   
-Yeah.  
-Hey Neooooo It's blaka ! She on the PDA, you wanna say hi ? Hack ! Stop hitting me ! Okay! Stop!"  
Blake frowned. What the heck ?  
"Sorry, I guess my jokes aren't that funny. I'm partying a bit before departing a lot. You know how it goes... or maybe not.  
-Yang I wanted to know if this offers still stand. I have a friend who might want to come along also ?  
-Ooooooh sure yeah. I'm gonna transmit that... Hey Neo ! You lost a hundred creds ! She came back to me~! Told you the Xiao long booty always win them over ! HEY ! Gimme back ! Oh fine, Well Bella, apparently I'm running on water now. I'll send you coordinates, a shuttle comes get us out at the dock we were earlier at midnight. Don't be late, we can't wait for anybody."  
just like that the call ended, and Blake asked herself if she had really made the right choice.  
Getting back in Ruby's room she looked at the digital Clock on the wall. It was soon gonna be noon. She and Ruby had twelve hours to prepare their precipitate departure.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a really long chapter. I'll admit it kinda got out of hand... at first I wanted to stop at 6k, then it became 8, then 10k...  
> I had a great fun writing it, but I'm gonna give some love to my others stories too, so don't expect a following before I finished the next chapter of Whiterose's hideout. at the very least.
> 
> I take this opportunity to remind you that my profile contain a discord invitation for anyone who want to talk a bit with me. I'm fairly active in discord and I'll be happy to have you over !


	5. Lost the past and searched the future.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning : this chapter is almost 16K long.  
> If you're an easily tired reader or just don't have that many time on hand, you might want to read this at another moment or segment it into smaller chapters... I really went insane with this one, and I believe it might be a too large piece to bite all at once.

Ilia was there shortly. as promised.  
She must have felt the urgency of the situation that Blake was still in when she called her, just after seeing Ruby like she had... it wasn't hard for Blake to imagine that she must have sounded a bit panicked...  
It was a bit weird to meet with Ilia, Actual leader of a Gang, although the Fang had clearly calmed down since Adam's version had died with his incarceration.  
Ruby was already up by the time Ilia got in the room.  
"This is super duper strange" Something seemed to be bugging off Ruby.  
"What is it ?  
—Well, THIS ! I mean, I was pierced by a two centimeters diameter steel bar ! Yet after two days in healthcare, I feel stronger than before I was even hurt !"  
Ilia smiled upon a callback to something she had said herself to Blake after an injury.  
"You're experiencing an epiphany... you're not stronger than you were when you were fine, you just weren't fine before you were injured. I heard from Blake about your working shifts. The human body is certainly NOT made to work eighteen hours a day. You were simply exhausted...  
—Oh... that's helpful... and you are ?"  
the question came out a bit bluntly, but it was fair, as Ilia just entered the room while she said that.  
"Ruby, this is Ilia. She is a friend from my past.  
—the one you still didn't talk about ?  
—That is the one. Ruby, I know you. We've known each other for quite a while now, and there are things in my past I avoided to talk about... because I'm not proud of them. I don't like remembering them because it puts me in a position where I'm very ashamed of myself. I just cannot stand who I was, What I have done, and what I didn't have when I should have... Ruby, I... I was done terrible things to, and did some terrible things myself... When we agreed to never talk about our parents, I didn't agree because I was sad, or anything, but because I was very very ashamed, and I still am. I don't know if I'll ever be able to face them again after what I've done. They probably think I'm dead... It may be for the best... After all I'm about to leave, probably for good..."  
Ruby frowned. But didn't say anything for a while... Ilia looked the other way. She knew perfectly well what Blake was talking about. And though it was horrible to think, she was glad that she wasn't Blake, as she knew Blake had done and suffered much more than her.  
Ruby's mutism couldn't last, and taking both of Blake's hand in her own, she looked her in the eyes  
"What did you do?" Her voice was timid. It was clear that she cared, but was scared to hear the truth.  
Taking a really long inspiration of air, Blake gave the look back, all emotions going away to leave only a serious and ready to assume what she had done look.  
"I was a member of one of the worst Gang of the lower section, at it's worst time. I. Was a member of the white Fang, while it was still under the rule of Adam Taurus."  
Blake looked intently into Ruby's eyes... she looked at the concern, and waited to see it change into something else.  
Ruby, like pierced by a single bullet, took a step back. There it was. There was the end of their friendship... Or so Blake thought... All concerns on Ruby changed to horror and a profound sorrow. then as some tears came into her eyes, she managed to get a new sentence out.  
"B... But... Why ?" this wining pained voice, it was like nail on a black board to Blake's heart... Yet it was better than nothing. Ruby could have run past her and got out to never look back... Blake knew she would have in her stead. Yet Ruby asked for an explanation, that Blake gave.  
"I was young and stupid. I was hurt by my faunus trait, and I needed to take it out on someone, so I did on my parents. For me, everything was their fault, they had taken that stupid genetic search course, they had taken the money of JoyCo, they had made me one of the bullied... Today, I know how wrong I was. I joined the Fang to spite my parents.  
And for a while, I was glad I did. I had a place where I was accepted, we were giving food to everyone in the lower level for free...  
I thought I was doing some good ! I still think we were... at first.  
And then Adam took over. I should have left with Sienna, We all should have left with her... Because when Adam got in control, Everything else got out of control. Suddenly, we were attacking and taxing civilians in the area if they weren't faunus. We were fighting with all the others gangs and they had the choice between joining us or dying. I am responsible for the loss of many lives... But I didn't see it. I was dumb enough to believe Adam's lies, and I did all of that thinking I was still helping peoples. I was a fanatic. and I hate myself everyday for what I have done...  
Then, Adam and I, got together... Well, I called it that, but to say it truthfully, I became Adam's toy. We was constantly with me. and began to make me question everyone I was friend with. Today I know it's a classic abusive behavior, It always start by isolating the victim by making her break her relations with the peoples around her. Suddenly I was surrounded by ill intended peoples like if they were everywhere, I was sad and hurt because I felt I had been betrayed, when in fact all my friends of these times had done nothing. Then Adam's was the one protecting me from them and he started to tell me how to behave. What to do... After a while, He was no longer seeing me as an acceptable combat partner, I was too precious... so I was locked down into the Fang's head quarter... I'm... I'm not ready yet to talk fully about this part... I may never be ready to do... But to be clear. Adam made the mistake of not locking me down entirely from the rest of the members, and I began to hear rumors while he was away... about Bloodshed. About how violent he was with everyone... At that time, I was so much under his power that I though when he... When he hit me, it was my fault... So upon learning he was violent toward everyone I started to question things. And then... one day... I managed to found a video. a proof of what he truly was doing while away... It was massacre. In the name of the faunus and their movements, he was slaughtering men, child and woman alike, all while they were begging for their life. And the ones he didn't kill on the spot ? He sullied them, tortured them, gave them to his men to toy with, and let them die. I think some survived. and I pray to never see one of the numerous illegitimate kids he must have on this very station.  
I woke up immediately. And I started to accumulate and show proofs of what Adam was doing to peoples I trusted within the Fang...  
At some point, Someone snitched on me, because the next thing I knew, Adam showed up, saying he was starting to think I was a traitor to the cause. He decided to lock me up in a room only he and Ilia had access to.  
Adam was a goddamn good manipulator, he managed to turn the peoples I warned against me. and suddenly I felt threaten by every look I was getting from members. Ilia, however, saw through that. She came to me, and helped me escape... I came up with a plan and made Adam, who was furious, come after me.  
For the whole pursuit, Adam was right behind me... I could feel he's breath on my neck and his finger around my throat... From his voice, from the way he took shots at me every time he could, I knew that if I ever slowed down, if I ever stopped. I was dead.  
I lead him into a military ambush I had anonymously tipped to be there. I was lucky they listened.  
Adam was arrested. And I felt it would only be a while before he was back onto me. So I left the Fang, Hoping to escape him somehow..." She took a long breath of air, before getting her look into ruby's anew.  
"I know I have done terrible things. But I never wanted this. I wanted peace, I wanted equality. I started it as an act of spite, but it became genuine, and I strayed. I'm sorry I did. and I promise you, I'll make things better... I already promised myself that. It's why I came to take this place. It why I took all these works. I tried my best to do the right thing, and even if I leave this place, I intend to continue... to the best of my ability."

Ruby looked down. Thinking... She knew Blake didn't lie. At least she hoped so. Ilia, on the other side of the room had sat against the wall near the door, she was herself seemingly full of remorse.  
But she still had questions before she made up her mind.  
"What does it have to do with the money we've got ?  
—you were hurt. We didn't have enough money to pay for the supplies they needed to heal you quickly, and Rent was coming. We were risking eviction. Loosing our jobs. I didn't want that to happen, so I got in contact with Ilia here... and I asked for a simple gig, It was small, and I made it clear it was a one–time deal. It was simple enough, just retrieve some data, and if done right... well, no one had to get hurt. It was ideal, so I took it and did it... Except things didn't go as planned.  
—What happened ?  
—The peoples who can get us out now were in the place. One girl, Named Yang. She was helped by another girl, and things leading to another, we escaped together... Some guards were injured or killed. But they were all conscious of the risks and given enough time to back off I think. We only defended ourselves, got out, and I got back to you immediately. Ilia paid me in advance, being the friend she is, and here we are..."

Ruby closed her eyes. and for a long stretchy minute, the fear Ruby would reject Blake now she knew who she was, what she had done plagued Blake's mind. 

Then Ruby opened her eyes, and all trace of horror on her face seemed to have disappeared. Instead, comprehension and sympathy mixed with a bit of sadness was there.  
"Okay."  
the cat faunus lifted a brown Expectantly at Ruby.  
"Okay ?  
—Yeah... they way you talked about it... the way you talk about you... there is a lot of self loathing I picked up on... and while I don't like violence... I'm not a little girl anymore. I know how it can be do or die. I never talked to you about it, but... I myself have some things I'm not proud of, even if these things are of no significance compared to yours.  
Like you, I tried to do the right thing. Not out of remorse, but to never have to do these things again. But I think that sometimes, you cannot avoid hurting peoples without hurting yourself. Both of us endured much, but I feel I've reached my breaking point.  
I want to help the world, I want to do things for it. But I'll never hurt myself in the process anymore. It's unhealthy and do not work. In this society, doing things out of good will just brings you the realization that peoples exploit you. And I'm tired of being exploited. I'm tired of living like a ghost, worrying every day about the rent and the food we'll eat, about how much I need to sleep but can't. How much I want to see you and spent time with you. I am done, Blake, done trying to be the nice little girl the big firms and corporatists can rely on and exploit. And if I have to fight to live happy, well I'll sure damn will."  
there was a short pause, but Ruby cut it short, placing herself in front of Blake with a determined face on, and a statement to make :  
"However. I'm sorry Blake but this will not do. I can stomach you being an old gang member. I can stomach you doing less than legal things to pay bills that you couldn't have any other way.  
But denying yourself and your parents a relation that I wish I had never lost ? I'm sorry. this is unacceptable. I can finish packing. But I refuse to go anywhere with you before you fix things with them.  
—Them ???  
—Your PARENTS ! Go see them, tell them you're alive ! Tell them you got better ! And that you're sorry !  
—But!  
—I don't want to hear any buts Blake. We're leaving. and you are going to go see your parents in the meantime. If you was still angered at them, I would not have said anything, but you love them Blake. Don't waste an opportunity to be with them..."  
the tone Ruby used was Final, and a novelty to Blake. She had done her mourning concerning her family years ago. and now, Blake was to dig this up ? The prospect was scary on a lot of levels.

Blake however, could only acknowledge that it was the healthy way. She just never had been courageous enough to do it, and each year she left her family alone was becoming more of a reason for her to fear meeting them again.  
Ilia, on the other side of Ruby's bed, still against the wall send her an interrogative look. Something seemed on her mind, but she didn't do anything to express it.  
Then taking a more serious stance and face, She nodded toward the door. Blake confirmed she understood by giving a nod herself, and Ilia left the room.  
Then Blake turned toward the redhead who was still looking at her. Closing her eyes, the faunus took as much of air she could in her lungs.  
"Ruby. Can I ask you something ?  
—Yeah ?  
—Could we... Pack together... and meet my parents together as well ?"  
It was a long stretch, Blake knew it was. But, she felt, deep in her guts that she needed someone to be there with her. and that someone needed to be Ruby.  
"Why would you want that ?  
—Because my parents didn't see me for at least four years. and we didn't part on good terms. Even if they accept to even Acknowledge me and don't close the door on me. I'm scared to face them. I'm scared to face what I have done once more. And, if I can be redeemed. It's also because of your help.  
—Yet I didn't do anything ?  
—But you did ! You met me ! Made me see the old sweet Blake was still in me. that I could be redeemed ! If not for you, I had spent my life hiding and I would have let myself withered away like it didn't matter. YOU are the one who just made me take action when you saw we could never be happy here when I wanted to stay there, content with the way we were treated.  
Ruby... You changed my life. You are important, the most important to me right now. I want you to meet my parents because I know you'll be able to show them just how much I try everyday to be better. and that while not ideal, the way I've chosen with you, for us, will only make the both of us grow. You can reassure them, put their mind at ease. Or be there when they'll state that they don't want to see me ever again."  
Ruby smiled, as Blake hopefully reached for both her hands.  
"It's because of you I'm who I am today. Why would you come ?! Because you are the most important person in my life right now, if not the only. You're my ray of sunshine, my light in the dark. You showed me everyday how much I could do or at least try for someone meaningful to me, made me realize how bad I strayed more than any horrors Adam had done."  
Feeling Ruby's hand squeeze her own, Blake's heart fluttered.  
"Okay Blake. We'll do this together." Tiptoeing toward Blake's face, Ruby pushed both of her hands to cup both of the faunus's cheek.  
Blake's heart missed a beat. Suddenly her world shifted, and she felt butterflies roaming in her stomach.  
Her mind didn't register immediately when Ruby applied a bit of pressure on her cheek, forcing her head to nod forward.  
Ruby's face being so close made her whole mind halt. It took a second for her to feel Ruby's lips against her forehead. Another to register it as such, and a third to realize how much her heart suddenly cried for no reason...  
What was she thinking ? What did she hope for just now ? Blake had no idea. If not for Ruby's next words getting in her ears, she would probably have freaked out.  
"Let's pack. Let leave this place... okay ?"  
Blake blinked. Twice. and for a second it was like all of that never happened. Like she never thought for a split-second that Ruby was about to legit kiss her. Like she never realized how much of a mess this simple glimpse to a possible romance with Ruby had shaken her. Like her sudden willingness to indulge in such a kiss had never showed up for that split-second.

She began gathering the few personal items Ruby had in the hospital. And soon enough, She and Ruby were ready to leave.  
Then as Ruby opened the door and passed Ilia, still waiting, Blake spoke.  
"Go ahead Ruby, I wont be long. I just need to settle a few last thing with Ilia."  
Nodding, Ruby got to the end of the corridor. Opening the door to take the way toward their now old living quarters...

As soon as the door was shut, Ilia turned toward Blake.  
"Will you two be okay ?  
—I don't know yet. But I'll do as much as I can, so we can be." Blake took out of her bag the hard drive she retrieved.  
"Is this the right thing ? Because I sure hope it is, I don't think anyone will be able to steal anything else from this place for a while.  
—Yeah, that's the one I think. Thanks, Blake. So you told me about something else you found ?  
—Yeah it's that thing."  
As she handed the small device Ilia looked it from all angle with an expert look on her face.

The device looked like a small physical drive, you could hold it in your hands closed with no problems. However, there was a hole in it, littered with an entire holographic storage and projector device.  
The intense fluttering was indicating tremendous amount of calculations being done, but not known processor could have been calculating so much in a device so small. To Ilia as for Blake it was a mystery.  
"I have no clue what it is Blake, But I can tell it must be worth a fortune. How much do you want for it ? I can surely make much more than what I'll be able to give you for it, but if you're willing to sell it to me, you'd surely be helping all the peoples who starve and need treatment on the lower levels.  
—What ? no ! no Ilia ! Just take it. You gave me more than enough ! I can assure you. And if it's that valuable it might also bring you trouble. Please be careful."  
Ilia looked Blake a bit taken aback.  
"Are you sure ? this thing might be worth millions for all I know.  
—Yes, please. Just keep it. I probably have no use to it anyway."  
The chameleon faunus felt conflicted about this... Blake could feel it. So when Ilia looked her way with a questioning face, Blake answered by a firm smile.  
Nodding repetitively, as to acknowledge Blake's donation, Ilia pocketed the thing.  
Then Blake looked at her with a sad smile...  
"I guess this is goodbye then ?  
—Oh please Blake, I'm gonna see you off, or you're not leaving this station."  
Blake smiled anew.  
"Well I guess that's fair. Just let me get the dock we're using into your PDA."  
Blake taped her own a few times until both hers and Ilia's made a characteristic sound of sent/received notification.  
"Well, Blake, I have a few things to get done before the few hours. I'll see you there ?  
—Yeah."  
Seeing Ilia take the way toward her own block, on the other side of the hospital, Blake waved at her. Getting waved back with a smile.  
then she took her own way, toward Ruby.

 

Making all the way back to ruby wasn't hard. While this hospital was decent it wasn't exactly the best either, and all their elevators were taking years to get back. Of course, it was only the one for visitors, as patients and doctors had their own, much more modern, but away from public, so they wouldn't be as worn by usage.  
Ruby was still waiting for the old machinery to get to her level and open when Blake jogged to her side, a small smile on her face.  
The ride toward the exit of the place was tremendously long, which left Blake a lot of time think about all that had just happened, all that was about to.  
Mainly, she felt torn between the terror of facing her mother and father again, and the yet to be analyzed feeling that exploded in her chest earlier with Ruby. The two subject mixed in her head in a weird kind of sludge, like mint syrup had replaced the water around her brain and nothing functioned in it anymore. She felt herself floating. and checked twice if local gravity was acting up, twice it wasn't.  
Blake then tried to look at Ruby's face. Taking quick glance. Each time she was please to see the hopeful smile on Ruby's face. 

 

**********

 

Soon however, all questions Blake had about her feelings were replaced by the stress. The stress getting all their most important and useful stuff with her took. The stress of knowing that in less than 3 hours she would have to face her parents.  
A knot had form in her belly. and each passing minute brought Blake closer to having an aneurysm.  
What would her parents say ? Would they even recognize her ? Would they accept to hear her out. Could they ever forgive her ? Love her back like before ?  
What would they say about Ruby ? About Blake's close departure of the station ?  
Blake was suddenly convinced of how bad an idea this was. But she had already agreed to it. There was no escape out of this. and the only comfort she could find was that Ruby would be with her.  
In all honesty, she would have bailed without her. She was sure of it.  
All in all, getting all their stuff wasn't that long.  
Blake and Ruby threw away all the crappy food. Never again will they have to eat this garbage. Got the few cloths they had. and gathered some lasts things, like shampoo and soap. then all that was left was items with sentimental value. For Ruby, it was a ring and an old cloak, offered by her mother before she passed.  
For Blake, It was a book, Offered by Ruby with her very first pay. At that time, things were easier. Prices were a bit lower and Work while still paying a misery, wasn't as unscrupulous. It seemed like things only got worse within the few years Blake and Ruby had passed together.  
This book was a memento of a time when Ruby and Blake still saw each other, and while they were struggling with money, they were still able to please each other without sacrificing weeks of food.  
'The man with two souls'. In real paper edition. The book was far older than Blake and Ruby combined. in Space, Paper was inefficient and as expensive as gold. Making tree grows in space was extremely challenging and costly after all. as it took time, space, wasn't that useful to begin with. It was a luxury product, often used in pricey apartments and accommodations.  
Blake had read the book a few times before time to do so disappeared.

Getting back at the entrance of the room, Ruby and Blake looked the place. To be honest, it was in shamble. The panel that had exploded hadn't been fixed. and probably wouldn't at this point.

All the metal drawers and cupboard were open like someone had search through all of them. It looked like a place had been search for drugs or something. Not that either of the two girls cared.

Then it was time for Blake and Ruby to take the way toward the intermediary levels. With bags and all.  
Reaching in the elevator leading to it. Blake passed her PDA in front of it.  
ACCESS DENIED, READING AUTHORIZATION IMPOSSIBLE.

Ugh. Blake had faced this problems constantly before. Again and again and again. It was usually with ruby or alone. But since security took ages to do anything around here, and considering that she was gonna be gone for good in a few hours. Blake decided she had enough. NO she wasn't gonna walk in the freaking three hundred meters of stairway and low gravity conducts because some moron didn't know how to correctly setup an elevator for it to read authorizations more than one time each twenty attempt.  
Getting her old PDA out, she gave Ruby the new one.  
"Hold this for a sec will you ?"  
Connecting to this kind of device was child play. There was a key, physical one, to activate or deactivate the networks functions of the elevator, but as Blake suspected, the technician in charge of this one. and maybe seventy-five percent of overall technicians in generals didn't turn it off after diagnostic, which certainly made them go faster... but left huge security wholes. And so she didn't even have to tear off any panel to make the elevator work. 

in few click later, the elevator was up and running, and Blake was closing her old PDA and any wireless functions in it. she wasn't dumb, HER, she took the other back from an interlocked ruby.  
Blake, upon facing this surprised and uneasy face, felt she had to explain.  
"in the fang I was an informatics expert. I know how most security systems works. I'm a security agent without the diploma, basically. And to be honest, it wasn't that hard.  
—But the security...  
—Oh you don't have to worry about them. If I had triggered any alarm, which I didn't, by the way, the security wouldn't come running at us like if we were about to steal things. this elevator is commutating between lower and intermediary levels, I very much doubt anyone would bother us. Knowing them they'll send a fine and a convocation to the nearest security post at where we live... do you see where I'm getting at ?  
—Oh... Ooooooooh. Okay." 

Once in the intermediary levels, Blake and Ruby had to check the local network for plans.  
Blake hadn't been in her parents sector for quite a while, and things could change really fast in there.  
Therefore, and since this kind of Files were a hassle to download from local, poorly maintained, network, the two girls had some time to kill.  
Blake hadn't eaten anything in the two last days since the explosion in the apartment. and as such, she took Ruby's hand in hers and tugged, dragging her toward a food stand.  
The smell was nostalgic. She had not fed herself here in literal years. Not since she was little. When she was a bit smaller, and still with her parents most of the time.  
At that time, she was often clinging to her mother and asking that they'd eat there. She loved this place... She was actually impressed the place was still up.  
"Blake what are you doing ? Where are we going ?  
—I'm hungry.  
—But money... ... " Ruby stopped in the middle of her sentence as she realized."

They were about to leave this place. and while wasting all their money wasn't an option, a bit of it wasn't that big of a deal. It was worth celebrating a little. Right ?  
As Blake and her entered the small establishment, Blake looked over the counter. The place had changed a bit. But Blake recognized the man running it instantly.  
It appears he did, too, as a large smile appeared on his face.  
He was now an old man compared to how Blake had known him. Baldness had taken hold on the top of his skull, and wrinkles were more marked than ever before.

As she sat on one of the bar stools. Apparently, if she recalled, the place was designed like an antic and authentic Ramen shop... It was supposed to be some very old style of shops, from before earth's destruction. As she remembered, Blake noticed the old man had a really gruff voice. he probably had lived in lower levels for quite a while. That or he was an earthling. It was quite rare, but with expeditions and scientific studies of the earth, and since civilization was still living on it, it happened from time to time that some earth-born human got the chance to get on the stations, or took those chances themselves some times.  
and while radiations were very common on earth, another thing was there, tobacco. On the stations, the addiction had died for the simple reason that when humanity had took refuge in space before the catastrophe, resources didn't permit the settlers to smoke tobacco, let alone grow it.  
and it never got back after that. Some earthlings did it still. But it was forbidden in most public space, so they did it home.  
And knowing how much health bills could go up. No one right in their mind despite rich peoples could have chosen to start now. And Rich people didn't smoke. It came from earth and in their eyes everything from earth was either filthy or contaminated in some way.

Once Ruby was seated beside her, Blake grabbed the flyer containing all product the old man sold and opened it for both of them to see.  
Blake already knew precisely what she wanted. And it was something fantastic. The old man had good relations and was one of the few person on the whole station capable of finding Tuna. Fresh Tuna. in space. At reasonable price. It was so unlikely that Blake's parent's actually had to verify it was actual Tuna and that it was safe for consumption before they accepted to eat there.  
Ruby, her, wasn't that much about fish, but fortunately the man was selling a ton of others things. Mainly rehydrated stuff, but also fries made with actual fresh potatoes and all kind of meat made in in-vitro cultures.  
It wasn't the best stuff, but it was nice enough.

As soon as Ruby and Blake had ordered and paid, the faunus girl had looked at Ruby, trying to get a hold of her reaction to the food. The red-head had always been one to see the glass half full rather than half empty. Finding positive things to say even in the worst times. Reflecting back on it, It probably saved her life. If she had been easily depressed, Being without any home or family as young as she had would've killed her, or worse.  
Their was a lot of peoples who were lost on this station alone. and even more who tried to gain anything they could from their sorrow.

For all she knew, Ruby could have been picked up by bad peoples and end up a slave, or part of a prostitution network. If she had been a bit more lucky, than that, it would have been escort or independent prostitution. The horror of it and what it could have done to Ruby as Blake knew her made the faunus shiver. 

Since they could not stay here to eat, they didn't have much more time before they'd need to get to the docks after all, They took their food in the take out fashion.  
After a last smile and wave at the old man, Blake Matched Ruby's walking pace, as they both fed themselves. For Blake, it was a much-needed meal and as soon as she started, her stomach seemed to reactivate after the sudden stress and shortage of food. Her hunger fell on Blake's stomach. and suddenly she realized just how much she needed this.  
She had eaten Bland tasteless and detrimental food for years. This food was salvation for her. So much that she actually didn't even get halfway through it before she felt too full to eat anymore.  
Her stomach, used too much more empty food, simply couldn't process more without her getting sick. Looking Ruby, Blake wasn't surprised to see the same outcome.  
Fortunately, the plastic box in which the food was stored appear to be solid enough and were closable. So they simply put it away and continued forward. The levels maps had been downloaded while they ate, and they both had only to follow their PDAs now.

Blake's fears resurfaced. And she had to muster all her courage to continue walking. There was still several blocks to walk through before they even got close to her old living place. But that didn't stop her heart from basing her heart rate off a freaking woodpecker.

Ruby felt it at some point because before Blake was overwhelmed, she felt the hand of the red head reach her own.  
Turning in the direction of the young girl, she found a knowing and compassionate smile. It didn't stop her from being anxious, But it soothed her a bit. Calming her and making her a bit less uneasy.  
It wasn't nearly enough for Blake to feel confident though. And soon, Blake felt she needed to distract herself a bit.  
First she tried to count the doors they passed. But that got old too fast. Then squeezing Ruby's hand for dear life became a necessity as she was searching for something to occupy her mind.

The ground became her best friend the moment when black lines began to appear. It may have been childish, but not walking on them Made her feel much better, as she managed to push the question of her parents in the back of her mind. At some point, Ruby herself noticed and decided to play the same game. Helping Blake when she was about to walk on the dreadful black lines and getting helped herself when she was clumsy and almost touched them. Following the map this way was fun. and Blake finally eased for the rest of the walk. and even the fact she felt like a child subdued after a while.  
She was still looking on the ground when they finally reached the Bloc where Blake's family was supposed to be.  
Blake only felt Ruby stop a split-second before her arm still linked at ruby by the hand, prevent her from going further.  
Then she heard the shaky terrified voice of Ruby.  
"B... Blake ??"  
It got the cat faunus to look up. and a horrified cry got caught up in her throat.  
Blacken windows without glass. Melted metal everywhere. All the walls of the vast place where covered with burned mark. Many metal panels laid shattered on the ground or half melted in their original spot.  
It appeared the whole place had been burned to a crisp. All doors had been cut with welders and removed. Probably the fire team who came to stop this insanity. A smell of burned plastic and metal that had long since been consumed or cooled back down was everywhere.  
From Blake's childhood block, there was nothing left but a husk.  
Blake looked back at the map trying her best to determine if she had made any mistake. They could have been to another block by accident...  
By doing so she only confirmed this was indeed her home, and Blake panicked. She ran, straight to what she knew to be her old home. Passing the door without slowing down.  
She could remember clearly that there was a missing metal tile she had like to climb in all the time when she was young.  
It was in the kitchen, just above the sink which made it much easier to reach. Finally in the room she checked for it.  
It was there... except the sink had melted into a metal puddle. and that there was now a giant hole in one of the wall.

Blake felt her legs give up upon the revelation. All fear left her as she tried to comprehend what it was that she just discovered.  
There was nothing left. No House to go back to, No parents anywhere to be found.  
Blake stood there dumbstruck. She felt transfixed, like if all air in the room had changed into a breathable but thick liquid that she was struggling to move in.  
She felt Ruby hug her, probably kneeling with Blake… Yet she herself didn’t know how to feel. She had seen death already. Every time it had ripped her heart. Yet she felt nothing. Why ?  
Why wouldn’t she be able to cry for her parents ? She loved them, all gods from any religion knew that she did. Yet she didn’t shed a single tear.  
What was she supposed to do now ? No answer came to her mind for that question.

however, if her parents had died or not. One thing was sure.  
Blake had objectives. Leave, Get better for what she had done and for herself. And for Ruby.  
Yet, Blake could never do anything right in her life until she had closure, one way or another, could she ?  
And here, it was impossible to get that. No money, trapped into a no-end working life. This wasn’t possible. It brought her back to her very soon departure. She didn’t know much about what she would be offered in free time and liberty. But she at least knew she’ll be able to accumulate money. It was one out of two. And with better life conditions than here, if Yang hadn’t lied.  
There were no corpses, And a Quick check on the various journals and security data-base of the stations rapidly showed her that there was no declaration of death for her parents. Yet no proof of their survival either. It was like after the fire, they both had disappeared without a trace.

There was fifteen death declared for the incident, yet twenty-two peoples living in this block.  
That left seven peoples alive living in that block. Among them, four were accounted for.  
So there was tree survivors that had just disappeared without a trace that day. Despite her best efforts, Blake didn’t manage to find any information indicating if residual bones had been found in the specific apartment her parents used, though she didn’t look long.  
That meant only one thing. She needed to find them. Alive or dead, she needed to find proofs of her family status. Or she could never properly mourn them. 

So she got up. Her mind still hazy from the shock of entering the place.  
Ruby was looking at her with a mortified look. From her point of view she must have felt like she had brought Blake to a terrible place.  
And in a way, it was the case. But that wasn’t Ruby’s fault. Blake knew that much, and felt she needed to state it.  
Extending her hand to the girl she lifted her back to her feet.  
"Blake, I…  
— Don't Ruby. Don't say you're sorry.  
— But I AM!  
— Then you shouldn't. You didn't do anything wrong."  
Blake looked away.  
"Are you… Okay ?  
—I… Yeah, Ruby, I think I will be. It's just… hard to wrap my head around… Well THIS."  
Blake opened her arms, pointing all the surrounding room.  
There was a turmoil in Blake's head. But she had no mean to analyze this now. Perhaps this needed to sink in.  
She looked straight to Ruby with a tired look.  
She just needed to get out of here. Of this place.  
"Let go. There is nothing here for me."  
Although taken aback by the lack of reaction from Blake, Ruby nodded and followed.  
Leaving behind the place she had grown up in, Blake passed the door with Ruby on her side.  
So be it. In a way, maybe this was better like that. There wasn't anything left to tie them here now.

Reprogramming the navigation function of her PDA, Blake took back the direction of the lower levels. The trip for the hangar they'd leave from was however strangely long for Ruby.  
"Uh Blake ? I can see on your map we're making a heck of a detour…  
— Yeah, Just picking up something I left behind when I got back to you earlier.  
— What exactly ?  
— You'll see."  
That was a stressful subject for Blake. And soon it'll be a stressful moment, as they were getting back Gambol shroud, that Blake had hidden just after her escape with Yang and Weiss. If she knew Ruby would suggest they get out of the place, she may have left it with them, but even so, it would have been a bit careless, as she still wasn't sure she could thrust them.  
Well, to be honest with herself, Blake had few doubts left, it was merely prudence. If Yang or Weiss had wanted to hurt her, they would have used the chances they had when she was with them. They could have shot her back many times.  
Blake however, didn't have a clue of how Ruby would react upon seeing her weapon.  
An illegally made, and bloodstained weapon. She knew for a fact that the girl had a quirk for small mechanics, and may even be a weapon enthusiast.  
But that didn't mean that a weapon Blake had created while in the worst gang would please her. No more than the fact that Blake would carry that weapon around.  
To be fair, Blake even considered the idea of leaving it there. Yet, she couldn't. If Blake had been able to do so, she would have destroyed Gambol shroud years ago. That fact that she didn't show that even after all she had done with it. The fact that the weapon had saved her life a good amount of time, the achievement of building it, and the fact that this was a part of her history always stopped her from simply getting rid of it.  
So Blake had hidden it. Then decided that she would take it with her. And, from another point of view, she hadn't told ruby everything to hid that from her after. 

 

When Blake opened a normally locked door in the middle of a place obviously not populated anymore, and with less than legal method, she felt Ruby's gaze behind her.  
It was the second time she had used her skill in front of the red-headed girl to make machines do her bidding. And Blake was still unsure what Ruby thought of it. It made her uneasy. Grabbing the small protected case of her weapon on an old and really dusty shelf, she opened it. Considering if it was safe or even desirable to carry her weapon on her, or to take the case with it.  
Yang had talked about a Ship. A Pirate ship. Most peoples imagined Pirate as peoples with no organisation whatsoever, but Blake knew better.  
If the ship was big, and considering Yang's combat experience, she had a hunch it was, there would probably be security measures. There was a good chance a total stranger like herself wouldn't be allowed to carry a weapon out in the open like that.  
Yet she could not carry it in the case. Considering the levels they had to cross to reach their leaving point. It would have been a lack of caution, one that Blake couldn't allow. Resigning herself, she took the weapon out.

"Is… that a weapon ?  
— Yeah. I… Kept it hid for all these years, and grabbed it back before I met with Ilia when you were injured. I've had it for almost as long as I was in the Fang.  
— Oh. Okay. Is it… Safe ? The weapon ?  
— Oh, yeah, no worry. I never got any jam, and it's more than sturdy enough. I can promise you this is as safe as a fire weapon can be."

Looking Ruby in the eyes, Blake saw her relax, if only a little. Better than nothing she thought.  
"Look Ruby. To reach the ship that takes us away from here, we need to cross disreputable blocks. In these, we might make some bad encounters, although we're gonna be discreet, and my weapon might ward some people off. The chance is very low that we meet anyone actually. But in case that happen I need you to know some basic rules. First of all, no running. Some blocks are damaged or easy to get lost in. if I lose you, you might get attacked when I'm not nearby. Second point is: do not get in front of me. I'm good enough that I know to not fire on you by accident, but that also means I cannot shoot on whoever is attacking us. It might get us killed or worse. And finally, third point is, the case of my weapon, that you're gonna carry for me, is bulletproof. You can use it to shield yourself a little.  
Then again, if we walk fast and silent, there is very few chances to meet any danger at all. Okay ?"

Clearly, Blake knew that this would pressure Ruby way more than desirable, and she was sorry for it. But it was a necessary evil. In case of an encounter, she needed to know that Ruby wouldn't have any dangerous behaviors.  
Blake smiled kindly at the girl when she saw her shrink. Ruby probably never got herself in any serious fight. Not any that Blake knew of anyway. That meant she could react very poorly if someone didn't at least gave her a few advice.  
Pushing the entirety of her right hand's fingers in ruby's hair, Blake ruffled the girl red tips affectionately. And sure enough, It got Ruby to protest a bit and relax.  
They smiled to each other a second before Blake finally turned herself back to the way in front of her. Ruby less than a meter behind.  
The corridors around them were all darkened by oxidation, filth and time. If most of the blocks of this levels were generally poorly lighten, this one was simply not.  
It was kind of weird honestly. It felt like a bit more modern and less labyrinthine version of the sub-systems, but with actual oxygen.  
There were broken crates. And boxes everywhere. Bullet holes too. This place looked like it had seen bad combats already.  
Against all odds, Ruby knew what this place was.

"We're at the crossroad.  
— Huh?  
— the name they came up with for block 11 of the station… all neighbors block are leaded by powerful gangs. No one never install themselves here without being desperate because there is constant fighting between the adjacent block. Mostly on these grounds.  
— How do you…  
— I lived here. A Long time ago. At the time, the place was in better state."

There was a sourness in Ruby's voice. Blake looked at the map taking it in… She didn't know much about Ruby's parents. Only that they weren't here anymore.  
But knowing that Ruby couldn't possibly have lived here alone at a young age, it wasn't difficult to imagine what had happened to her family now.

Blake was soon to discover that although very capable of being noisy, Ruby was also capable of the opposite feat. While not as silent as Blake she was more than enough for them to rise no unwanted attention, and crossing the few bad blocks wasn't a problem at all in the end.  
Getting to the proper hanger was no problem after that, except maybe for a few uncharted doors that Blake had to circumvent or go around. 

Finally, at the final door leading to the hangar, Blake turned to Ruby.  
"We have reached our destination." It gave Ruby a hopeful and relieved smile. One that made Blake smile too, if only a little. There weren't exactly out of the wood yet.  
Leaving illegally a station wasn't petty crime in this society. One of the main reason was that the council main power was to know where and when peoples were. The second was that if peoples were able to enter illegally, then so contraband and illegal weapons.  
For all Blake knew, the security could very much barge in and try to stop them. Then again, these places were supposed to be sealed, and with how close they had flied of the station, it was certain no instrument could have picked them up. One of the main weaknesses of the stations of this size.  
Putting instruments everywhere was as ineffective as it was expensive, large stations all preferred to use bigger, with larger range array of sensors. But that meant that the main mass, the station, was hiding most of the ships if they were close enough. Of course, main hangars all had their own sensors systems, but an old maintenance one certainly didn't. And even if it did, considering the age of the thing, it would have been in disrepair anyway.  
Opening the door, Blake marched forward, Ruby hesitated a second before following. She was of course scared. After all, not only was she doing something reprehensible, but she was accepting the help of total strangers. Blake understood it well. And proceeded to grab Ruby's left hand in her own to guide her and reassure her.

Seeing forms move behind some crate despite the fact that both of them had been silent made Blake think there was probably some movement tracker around that had announced them. Going toward said crate confirmed what Blake thought. It was the girls. Though Neo was nowhere to be seen right now. 

"Hey Yang.  
— Oh, You're here. Who's the red ball of awkward hiding behind you ?  
— Oh, Yeah, Yang, this is Ruby, Ruby this is Yang, and just behind her is Weiss. They're the two girls that I met while I was getting money, and Yang is the one providing an opportunity for Weiss and Us to leave." Ruby, until now hidden behind Blake looked with curiosity past the cat faunus, before taking upon herself to move toward the two girls.  
"Well, I'm Ruby. Nice to meet ya.  
— Likewise Rube ! Don't mind Weissy here being a bit grumpy, the lack of bed to sleep on didn't give her the rest the princess needed."  
The white haired girls immediately scoffed.  
"What ?! I'll have you know that the 'lack of bed' as you put it wasn't even close to be as troublesome as you. You drunkard ! She drank almost all night !"  
At that Yang only smirked more.  
"And it was awesome !"  
Weiss rolled her eyes.  
"If you weren't taking me away from a forced marriage and a life of being a trophy wife, I would seriously stab you right now.  
— You love me and you know it princess.  
— Hardly."  
The hole exchange was depraved of any real animosity, which only made the atmosphere lighter for all of them to enjoy. Making Ruby smile, Blake smirk and the two other look into each others eyes falsely ready to jump at each other throat. Then Yang took back a more at easy position, swaying and placing a hand on her hip.  
"You know Weiss. For an ex-heiress, I found you to be very likable. I really thought you'd be more prissy.  
— As I said yesterday, I wasn't always like that. And without some kind-hearted peoples I met. It would likely be another story.  
— And who might that be ?  
— I really doubt their pseudos would make any sense for you.  
— Pseudos ??  
— Yes. As it would be unlikely for me to meet anyone nice in my own social circle, and with the fact I was followed almost day and night by armed guards. They had the duty to make sure no one I wasn't supposed to talked to approached me. The only way to meet decent peoples was online. And even that was quite hard to get to at first."

Yang gave an apologetic smile  
"Yikes. I knew I'd didn't want the life of an heiress such as you were, but damn, I'm so glad I wasn't at your place.  
— And you don't know the half of it."

Led by Yang and Weiss, They put their luggage on the top of an already quite big amount of cases and such.  
"Why is there so much stuff ?  
— Well, Neo and I were sent to get back Pyrrah , but we also had to get some stuff for the commissary of the ship, that and all the things some friends asked. Plus some things we needed to take so Weiss here wouldn't have literally nothing to put on once this outfit of her goes to cleaning.  
— Since I left my previous life on the fly, I didn't have any product or necessities. Yang and Neo made sure I had the strict minimum." Yang looked intently at Weiss, lifting a brown.  
"Okay, sure, More than the strict minimum. But you shouldn't complain. Thanks to me you got this product for your hair that you needed for so long.  
— True, True, and I owe you for it. But I swear I never saw a list of product this long and this expensive. It sure helped it wasn't my money."

Leaving the two girls to their rants, Blake walked a bit further. The place must had been at least two hundred meters in length for twenty wide. Classic of the old style of stations, when ships were much more small and slow. Ruby's steps echoed behind her telling her that the girl was just behind her.

"Is everything okay Blake ?  
— Yeah. I'll feel better once we'll be far enough of this place. I honestly don't think I'll ever be back here if I can help it. Maybe for Ilia.  
— You two seemed close…  
— I owe her my life. More than once. If Adam hadn't lost his mind when he did, and if I hadn't been with him at that time, I would probably have ended in her arms. Don't tell her that when she'll be here though. I don't know how but I managed to convince her I was straight… Which isn't technically a lie since I'm Pan, but… knowing that I'm leaving, and after four more than needed years apart from anything or anyone close to the fang. It'll just cause her frustration and confusion if she learned."

She felt Ruby being very near her right side. And allowed her to lay against her without much of a problem. Blake knew very much that what she felt beating out of her torso right now was dangerous.  
It was sweet, enticing, poison. While Blake knew perfectly well her feelings were, if still nascent, genuine, that didn't change the fact that it wasn't the good time to express them, or act on them in any way.  
Now was time to move on with their life. For Ruby to do so with hers and for the cat faunus to do the same. Any kind of potential melodrama would have to come later. And so Blake looked at Ruby with a loving smile, but with the resolve that she would wait until a better and more suitable moment to say anything.  
That didn't mean she had to deprive herself of the moment though, and she gladly circled Ruby's shoulder to push the girl against her. Ruby had always's been clingy. There was no reason to be cold toward skinship now.  
They stayed like this a few minutes. Enjoying each others warmth and admiring the old metal panels and their weird intricate motives… the distant sound of the door, a far twenty meters away, opening made them turn.  
The Pink and brown hair of Neo came into view. She was lifting a Long duffle Bag. It seems quite heavy and must have been, because Yang soon came to help the Girl.

In comparison to Yang, Neo was very small. It would have been easy to mistake her for a child without her face and clothes. Disengaging of her hug with Ruby, Blake walked to Yang.  
"Need any help ?  
— Nah, We're good. Oh ! Actually, We'll need help in a bit. Our pickup is twenty minutes from here. You can give us a hand while loading all the stuff onboard.  
— I'll be Glad to do so."  
Blake, for the sake of being polite, followed Neo and Yang to the mountain of bags and things.  
As Yang sat near it, She grabbed a back away from the rest, probably hers, and rummaged through it until she found what she was searching. Blake noticed that strangely enough, Weiss seemed nowhere to be seen.  
Yang took a swing of what appeared to be a thermos. Then, as Blake placed her back against the nearby wall, Yang looked at her. Pondering for a second before she shook the beverage.  
"Want some ?"  
Blake considered. Then shrugged. She just saw Yang take a swing of it, what was the worst that could happen, other that the thing being booze? She HATED Booze, the taste of alcohol that the peoples seemed to loved so much was in every drink that Blake had given a test of the lips, and Blake had a strong and deep disgust for the taste alcohol had. Worse. It was dangerous. On a station like this one. Starting always meant you weren't sure when to stop. Some never did. too happy to drown their problems into a drink. That generally didn't end well. typically with them being killed by lack of money and being thrown out of their houses. Blake, despite the risk, chose to take a shot in the dark. Yang would not be drinking booze this early in the day right ?  
Seeing Blake nod the lilac-eyes girl threw the drink to Blake, who grabbed it in flight before she took a careful sip. It was hot. These kinds of thermos often had an onboard battery to keep the liquid they contained warm, so it wasn't exactly surprising. The drink though. Blake would have though Yang to be a coffee drinker. It was surprising to taste some kind of fake-milk beverage with a strong artificial taste of Strawberry. It was even more surprising for it to be hot. And it wasn't even bad ! Blake stated so by humming her pleasure out loud.

Ruby, who had finished admiring the tiles chose this moment to enter the walls made of crates that stopped the luggage and merchandises Yang and Neo bought from being seen by prying eyes.  
Upon seeing the girl, Blake pointed toward her to Yang while shaking the milkshake substitute. After she received a firm nod, she held it toward her Roommate. Who took a swing of her own. The giddy smile that formed on her face was clear enough evidence that she liked it very much. She gave it back to Blake, who gave it back to her original owner.  
"So… Since we've got a bit of time and nothing else to do, how about I explain how Neo and the rest of the crew work ? Huh ?"  
Both girls looked each other. There was indeed numerous questions that had been put aside by the sheer necessity and urge to leave. Blake smiled to Yang, answering.  
"If you didn't, I would have asked anyway. There is a lot we don't know. First of all, why take us ?  
— Aah, yes. It's an easy one. First, because I know a good fighter when I see one. The moves you showed at the Grav-Arma facility are in no way perfect. But all you did not have in training, you compensated in ingenuity and reflexes. Second, Because we need to. My ship and the whole piracy, is built on two groups. Independents, and conglomerate. I'll pass the boring history facts, but basically there are the rogues peoples who steal anything to anyone, do slavery, and fuck-up shits. And there is the centralized piracy, which is more like an illegal government.  
— Wait, what ?  
— Basically, the ship I'm on is part of a bigger organisation. Working all together in order to remove the council from Helios. We work closely with anyone who wants to. And not all of our ships are illegals or made to fight. There is a lot of civilians working under our peoples, A good example could be that the Nevermore have literal workers who tend to farms inside the ship. The only reason no one knows this big pirate group exist is because we work as hard as we can to keep it a secret. Which is precisely why I cannot say more than this, at least for now. And even I don't know that much. Only ship captains do. compartmentalizing the information is what made us survive this long."

Yang opened what seems like a pack of energy bar, leaving the package open and making sign to them to help themselves. 

"Next question ?"  
It was Ruby who decided to speak this time.  
" What will we do once onboard ?  
— Well… that depends on you. As I said, there is a lot of civilians onboard every of our ships. And you'll be given the choice. You can either just be normal civilians, with normal shifts and enjoying the ride, many do that, or you can decide that you wanna help the movement more directly. In any case, those who work for us are paid and treated fairly. While it isn't optimal for us to do things like that, we'd be betraying all we're fighting for if we didn't treat peoples like living beings. This is why this fight is so hard. If we were to just do piracy, we could probably take Helios in a few years. But we'd be using peoples like slaves and killing hundreds of innocents civilians in the process.  
Back to your question, Basically, we can either give you work, depending of what you are capable of, Form and train you to fight, or drop you at another ship later on, with less fight. Our policy at this is very clear. No one on board is forced to stay. All we ask is that peoples leaving say it at least a week in advance. We have available posts in almost all domains and academic levels  
— What if one of us wanted to fight and the other didn't ?" Yang winced at the question.

"That would be a bit more complex. While it isn't impossible or unheard-of. That would restrict the possible civilian jobs very much. Unless you're disposed to be on separate ships, but I doubt you decided to leave together just to lose sight of one another Aye ?"  
Blake nodded. Before she had the chance to acknowledge that they'd need to consider that, Ruby spoke.  
"That's not a problem." It made Blake look at her. Was she saying that none of them would fight ?  
"I don't know for you Blake, But I do not intend to do civilian work. At least not for a while." So it was the opposite. Blake felt a knot in her belly just in the thought of Ruby putting herself in danger. Yet it wasn't her place to decide. She knew that perfectly well, and kept silent.  
Another question pushed aside her worryness  
"Hum, Is there a rank system of some kind ?  
— Oh Absolutely. Like anywhere else, there are two branches of authority, Civilian and military, kind of.  
The civilians aren't responding to any order of the captain on board, unless they are causing trouble. That's the job of the Civilian commissary. Who work close with us, but is still considered civil.  
Yet, most civilians don't speak directly to the commissary. It works in company fashion. If you're working for a farm company, there are your bosses on board. They work with the commissary, who work with us. And by us I mean the fighters.  
For us, it's a bit more close to a proper military system. We have ranks as followed :  
At the bottom we have recruits. Basically anyone who come to us for the first time and want to help ends up here unless they can prove they have a really good chunk of experience and are deemed trustworthy, most recruits ends up either with a specific role or in a squad. Then there's the squads leaders. They answer to the second captain, who answer directly to the captain.  
The captain often works with many others. They respond only to our central government when they can meet. Because of that, they have a lot of decision-making to make. Each ship is more or less independent, and just share common goals with others. Organized moves are rares. I don't know much more about superior ranks because I've never met any of them yet. Oh, and I forgot the instructors. They can have any grade between Captain and Squad leader, and basically train our troops. Ours on board is named Alghina Alsyf. You'll meet her soon enough if you're really willing to fight for the cause."  
There was some tension in the air after such a conversation. Mainly because Blake knew what it was to be bossed around by a superior, and Ruby didn't. It induced stress in both of them, more than needed for Yang to feel.

"But hey, don't sweat it huh ? I had the occasion to see what it is in an actual army before, and let me tell you, we are way more relaxed than most of them.  
— In what way ?  
— Well, for once, the living conditions aren't personality breaking. There are no uniforms, and you're allowed to be in relationships and fuck around. Just, not while in duty, which ends everyday at the same hour, except in emergency. As I said, we're no prison. You have the right to be yourself and to do what you want outside of work. Being a worker or a fighter doesn't change much about that.  
Also, the rank system is for organisation and cohesion purposes more than for straight up authority. It is sometimes needed for someone who screws up to be punished, but most of the time, and considering the closeness of everyone in the ship. Everyone is more like a big family. This is very rare for anyone to yell at a subordinate. Basically, do your part and in a matter of days, everyone will be nice. Well, almost. There always peoples you won't get along with I suppose."

The frown in Yang's face told Blake and Ruby that she was probably speaking of someone specific, but before they could ask anything they were interrupted.

"Hey ?" Turning to the familiar voice, Blake saw that Ilia had arrived.  
Yang, who wasn't aware of her coming sprung on her feet.  
"Ilia ??!  
— Xiao long ? Damn, It's been a while ! Blake you should have told me her name, that would have been much less stressful to let you go.  
— Wait, you know each other ??  
— Hell Yeah ! It's not the first time we come here, and the white fang have been doing trades with us for quite some years now."  
flabbergasted Blake continued to switch looking from Ilia to Yang a couple of times. Until Ilia added a precision.  
"It was approximately when I started leading. The ship Yang's serves on is one of our best supplier for some hard to come by stuff. And more importantly. They are both cheap and trustworthy, which is a damn asset to have on a fucked up station like this one. However Blake, I can't help but noticed you didn't announce me. I'm hurt." It was said playfully, but Blake apologized non-the-less. The fact was that if there had been more peoples, Ilia could have been shot by mistake.  
"Yeah, sorry Yang, I suppose I should have given a head's up.  
— Yup' also, 'Blake' ?? Suits you way more than Bellaka for me.  
— Sorry. I'm a bit slow to thrust sometimes…  
— Nah I get it. I'm fully open about who I am and who my group is because I don't give a rats ass about the law knowing my name. But when you're trapped on a station like this one, Anonymity is important."  
It was nice to see that the blond brawler was comprehensive. Blake made sure to thank her later.

"So, Yang. I still have one questions ?  
— Shoot Blake.  
— Well, first, once we're picked up, isn't this place gonna vent because of the door opening ??  
— Oh, Normally it would. First time we came here, we installed an up to date atmosphere retention field on the door. We won't have to budge.  
— Okay, That is good to know. Being blasted to space isn't my thing."  
Yang cracked a wicked smile, then looked at her PDA.  
"Yeah I bet. Well, on that note Folks, our transport is now in approach."

Weiss, since a while absent, came from behind a set of create a bit away from the rest. She was carrying a small backpack in one hand, and her white original dress in the second.  
"Woah, Weiss, I see you finally decided to get changed ?  
— Yes. I just couldn't stand these cloths anymore. I've been wearing them for thirty-six hours after all.  
— Fuck, I would have never guessed but pants actually look good on you princess.  
— For the last time yang, please don't call me that.  
— Do you prefer Weisscream ? Hell, that'll make you and Neo easy to associate together… you know ? Both shorts and named after cold creamy stuff…"  
Before she could say anything else, Yang received a white skirt straight to the face. It wasn't long before she started to laugh under it. Weiss only rolled her eyes before she got nearer and sat along with Blake, Yang and Ruby.  
Now that she was nearer, all could see her cloth in a more clear and identifiable way. She was wearing a dark gray leather-like pant and had replaced her, without a doubt insufferable, heels with flat and solid black boots. With it she was wearing an asymmetric long sleeve made out of black leather, slanted from her waist to the middle of her right tight. It covered a lot all while permitting a large amount of mobility. The sleeves and edges of the piece were ending by a bit of color, being lined with dark purples artificial leather. Mixed into the fair skin and white hair of Weiss, it gave her a noble aura as well as the look of someone serious. Her hair were now untied until the very end of their length were they were all kept together by a black rubber band.  
All in all, the outfit wasn't cheap, but stayed humble enough. And no one in the room could have pretended it didn't fit to Weiss perfectly.  
After removing the piece of clothing savagely thrown by Weiss earlier, Yang took her PDA back and began to play on it. There was no indication whatsoever about what she was doing, but the time she spent on it told the rest of the group that it was probably not formal or professional work.  
Thus began an endless and painfully long wait. Looking around her, Blake felt that everyone was in their own head.  
Ruby was fidgeting and didn't seem to quite know where to put herself. Weiss was more Stoic, but quick looks on all the other person present revealed that she wasn't. Ilia, probably the most chill of all was leaning on a metal container, and looked at Blake most of the time. Her poker face was good, but years of knowing her told the cat faunus that she was trying to hide a bit of sadness, probably for her departure. Blake herself didn't felt that confident about everything about to happen to her and ruby, as are a lot of peoples when they go do things, and meet peoples they never did before.  
Yang, after a while, abandoned her PDA and with a long sight, she started to fiddle with her artificial limb.  
The heavy atmosphere was lifted when Ruby noticed the arm.  
"Oooooooh, is this an artificial Custom made weaponized arm ?!  
— Sure is."  
Before Blake or anyone else had time to stop her, the redhead was already near yang, grabbing the limb and putting it in all appropriates position to look it from every angle.  
"Whoa, It's so light ! What even is this material ? And theses, are theses kinetic boosters, wait, what kind of energy source have this thing ?? Is it myrion made ?" A dozen questions had flown out of Ruby's mouth before Yang had even the chance to answer the first. Yang almost immediately fully engaged in the conversation Which made everyone smile, but Blake even more than the others.

Ruby always had a thing for mechanical prowess. Despite the fact that most of her jobs were no brainers, she had always easily learned how to fix things. She had volunteered to do the upkeep of their room almost instantly. And she was very good at it, when she wasn't sleep deprived. However, the conversation was short-lived, as a loud clang signaled the opening of the hangar, and with him, the arrival of a ship.

Yang was on her legs in a matter of second, using a swift kick-up movement.  
Using the hand proposed to her by Ilia, Blake got up.  
All of them left the small walls formed by the old crates. And took sight of the ship.  
Blake didn't know the exact model. But it was very large. Probably as twice as long as the Titan they stole. And easily four times wider if you count the wings that Titan, as space only ships, didn't have.  
However, the atmospheric wings began to fold, gradually reducing the size of the ship until it wasn't much larger than the central body.  
With a few last punch of the thrusters, the ship landed on the solid ground, and all noises for it gradually fell into silence.  
A strong whistling of pressure later, the rear door opened, and Yang marched right onto the now lowering metal stairs. In what appeared to be a small Cargo hold was a man.  
He wore a red-lined white suit with long black pants and black shoes. His accessories included a small gray scarf, black gloves with buckled sleeves, and a black bowler hat with a red band.  
Only one look was enough for anyone to tell he wasn't space born. The classic a millennium old kind of cloths and the unlighted cigar he had left no doubt he was an earthling with a clear love for retro-clothing.  
Opening wide arms he shouted with enthusiasm.  
"Yaaaannnng ! How's my favorite brawler ?" However, Yang didn't stop. As soon as the ramp was touching the ground, she walked, looking determined, straight to him.  
The man seemed to noticed and his faux smile fell immediately. Blake could only see Yang's back, but the way she walked and the balled fist said it all. She was beyond pissed.  
The poor man tried to get away, only to be dragged back near Yang by his scarf, just before the woman apparently proceeded to pummel the guy to death.  
"YOU, GAVE, US CRAP, INFO !  
— Ow, Ow, Ow, What ?  
— No more than twenty guards my ASS ! Their were at least two hundreds in that fucking complex ! You could have got us killed Roman !!"  
Oh. Pilot and informant then.  
Yang gave the ginger man punch after punch. But Blake and the rest of the person around could all see it was nowhere near the violence Yang would have used on someone else. After a while, she slowed down to a stop. Breathless from the waste of energy that Giving the man small punches had ensued.  
Roman wasn't even visibly injured or anything. Just pained.  
Yang on the other side, didn't get any time to consider if she hurt him, mainly because the guy tripped her, making her falling on her back.  
When he got back up from flinching against pain, he looked mad.  
"I don't understand how it's my fault ! The guy who gave me the info always was reliable before ! How was I supposed to know this one wasn't good huh ??? It's not exactly as I could check from the ship now, could I ? That would be YOUR reconnaissance job ! But let me guess, you wanted to save Pyrrah so much, that none of you two thought to do such a thing Huh ?  
— I...  
— No Yang I'm not finished ! I get it. Truly I do. I liked the red head too, we ALL did, and I can comprehend that she is more or less vital to the ship for some things, but since her disappearance, you've done nothing but to go straight through everything you could in order to get her back, and you've been reckless, and I'd even get as far as to say you've been plain stupid from time to time."  
He turned his back on all of them, clearly pacing, Yang was about to answer when he turned back to her and continued.  
"You know, this is classical your Yang. You've always had the knack for breaking stuff first and thinking later when you're angry. But for the love of god, you don't take it out on ME ! I'm not more responsible than anyone else on the ship for Pyrr being taken, and I've done all I could with my network of informant to help. I don't deserve to be the subject of your anger and frustration, even more so when you are responsible for some of the errors made ! Now if you would like to pick up the pace ? I'd like for us to be back on the nevermore before next Myrion's year."  
as if he just dropped a mic on the ground the man straighten up his suit and dusted it before he walked straight for the door leading to the rest of the ship.  
Said door made a loud and clean metal sound when closing, making everyone in the room flinch.  
There was a long silence.  
Yang, who had entered the conversation angered, left it saddened. and maybe even a bit ashamed.  
Getting back on both of her foots, she didn't talk or looked up from the rest of the preparations for the departure...

 

Getting tapped by Neo on the arm, Blake turned around. There was an inquiry in the eyes of the small woman. Blake lifted a brown, waiting for an explanation, but Neo gave none, instead she moved away back to the crates, and after ten meters or so, turned around, looking intently at Blake again.  
Oh. follow. Okay. She could have said it ? Blake walked toward the girl, who seeing her message got across turned back to walk the rest of the way to all the luggage.  
Once Blake was there, she simply pointed toward the pile of bags and satchels.  
Oh. Yeah, Blake had more or less proposed her help earlier for that, right?  
Seeing Neo get to one end of a particularly long and heavy duffle bag, the Cat faunus got to the other side and witnessed once more how well hidden Neo's strength was, as she lifted her end of the bag with little to no difficulty. Thus began a painfully slow back and forth between the small cargo bay of the ship and pile of luggage. It was in a long silence all along. and at some point, Yang, who had put herself together had started to help.  
While lifting things and this kind of work wasn't exactly complicated, when it got to strapping the things onto the ship, Blake discovered she was clueless, and Neo had to teach her at some point. If not, they would probably have needed to cut off some of the safety straps to free the luggages.  
Once everything was secured.  
Yang seemed to go a little more back to her cheery self. though it was obvious from the way she looked a bit dejected that she wasn't really back to full cheer mood.  
They were about to leave when Yang neared Blake again. Said girl was sitting on the seam between the cargo ground and the stair-ramp.  
"Hey... Sorry you had to witness that earlier.  
— No... that's okay. This things happen.  
— Yeaaaah. But I gave it some thoughts, and Torchwick is right.  
— Who ??  
— Oh, Roman, his last name is Torchwick. I shouldn't have lost my cool on him. Truth is, he's done nothing wrong. I was frustrated and needed to take it out on someone.  
— I know how it feels. I've been like that myself a few times... It sounds like you and Pyrrah were close ?  
— We all were. Pyrrah was loved on the entirety of the ship. She was always one of the best of us, no matter the domain. Quite honestly, I've felt rivalry with her in brawling for a lot of times. But I guess back then I was still figuring stuff out. She was likable. Always Nice, even when you were not. When you had a bad day and you were being a jerk, she would just look at you and smile, and say that it was alright. At first, it drove me nut. Just, how could she be so happy all the time ? But after a while I just started to notice that she was just doing the best with what she had. I never met anyone with such a will to be happy with so little as her.  
— It seems you're quite fond of her.  
— Yeah. She and I were good friends. I hate that we could not save her... And it's worse to realize it's my fault for trying without confirming information first."

Neo popped her head from the common room just after the cargo old, knocking on the wall to get Yang's attention.  
Both of the girl turning to look at her, Neo made a few movements of hands intended to Yang. Blake frowned, recognizing what was clearly Sign language.  
Oh. Ooooooooh this explained a lot why the girl hadn't said a world yet. She couldn't. Turning to Yang, Blake asked by a simple look. It took a moment for Yang to noticed because she proceeded to reply with the exact same method of communication.  
"She said the pre-flight's done. We're good to go.  
— Oh. then I'd better say that to Ilia before she realized we left with her on board. She might think I'm trying to abduct her.  
— She could take it poorly ?  
— I WISHED. no, knowing her, she would probably think I'm taking her away for romantic purposes... I would like to avoid disappointing her..."  
It made Yang laugh, genuinely. Blake herself chuckled, getting up and going to the common room.  
Ilia was busy talking with Ruby, and seemed to be having a blast.  
"Hey, I see Ruby have gotten past initial shyness." Ruby struck her tong at Blake, then got up. wandering off somewhere else on the ship. Maybe she had felt that the time was for saying goodbye and wanted to leave Blake and Ilia their moment.  
"She's surprisingly bubbly and hopeful under the pessimistic surface she bears for peoples to see, isn't she ?  
— Yeah. She was always like that. It doesn't take much for her to get back up, once the problems that brought her down are solved. Though she's still fragile right now. I also think she likes the change of pace from work. She's only seventeen this year after all. Most peoples still sane would think a girl this age should be studying and having fun, not working eighteen hours a day. Honestly, I'm only two years older, and I was starting to crumble under the pressure of work and exhaustion.  
— This place is rotten to the core, isn't it ? Working teenagers until they are used up to the bones, and them once they aren't useful anymore, and cannot continue on, let poverty and malnutrition kill them so you won't have to deal with the fallout...  
— Honestly Ilia, I'm still asking myself why you'd be willingly staying here. I know for a fact that you have gotten occasions to leave this place twice already. Why didn't you ?  
— Well, I almost did once Adam happened. But you were still somewhere on the station, and left unchecked, the Fang could have gotten worse... I think I wanted to make amend ? To you and to myself...  
— To me ??  
— Of course. I should have seen what Adam was doing to you Blake. And... Once I saw, I should have acted sooner. There was long period of time while I just didn't do anything to help you when I knew Adam was abusing you. Because I was too afraid, or manipulated by Adam, I was a coward Blake, and while I was pondering what to do like an Idiot, I was forced to see your happiness and natural smugness fade and leave nothing but a broken shell...  
— Ilia It wasn't your fault.  
— No, but that didn't mean I should have left you in there when I could do something.  
— And you did. You pulled me out didn't you ?  
— Blake... I was in charge of security. You KNOW I was monitoring you right ?"  
There was a suspension in Ilia's voice who made Blake realize where this was getting to. A strong feeling of dirtiness and shame overcame her, seeping through her eyes as tears. Ilia pushed through and continued.  
"I had to see all he was doing to you. I was seeing the violence, the isolation, I was seeing... him using you like a freaking toy... I know for a fact that what you claim to be old plasma burns wounds on your back isn't Blake. And even when it turned sexual, I was force to see what he was doing to you, and I DIDN'T DO SHIT."  
As soon as she mentioned it, Blake felt her knee starting to be feeble. She sat on a nearby table as she was beginning to sob.  
"I had to watch you call for help from the other side of the screen. And multiple times I've wanted nothing but to enter and put a bullet through his fucking head. But I didn't."

Blake sobs only worsened as Ilia pulled her in her arms. She reciprocated the hug almost immediately. Years of contained poison finally escaping her via her nose and eyes, and voice, and sorrow.  
She had spent years trying to hide this from anyone she knew. How much it had hurt, how much it was good to finally hear someone tell her how awful this was... This had stayed blocked in her throat for so long... Ilia turned entirely blue, her hairs a darker shade that the rest. She didn't stop, painfully squeezing her voice through her tighten throat.  
"And... And... And I watched you scream, and cry, and I watch him burn you, all for his fun, just to torture you... I heard all the crap about how this was your fault... I saw how you believed him when he told you that, and I saw how he was getting in your head and was convincing you that you were the problem when he was a fucking lunatic. I SAW, And I didn't stop it. And I felt I was a monster, When you left I was so much convinced I would never see you again. And I WAS GLAD ! because I felt like you didn't deserve to have someone like me with you. Incapable of helping when it's really necessary. Not able to protect my friends, the peoples I love. When you left I was fine with letting you go. because I hoped you'd find something better for you... I was a COWARD again ! I was just happy to see you go and take the guilt with you when I should have freaking stayed by your side. I. I..."  
At that point they were both crying and sobbing like crazy. It didn't take long for the rest of the crew to notice something was up, but the two faunuses ignored them.  
At that point, Ilia was still trying to talk, but either all she was able to spat out was gibberish, or the shoulders she was saying in it was muffling it too much for anyone to comprehend.

It took several minutes for them to finally disengage from the hug. Several others for Blake to finally see correctly again, her tears having dried. It was like a dam had broken up. and emotions now flew through Blake had an insane speed. So much she felt very much overwhelmed.

Once they had both calmed down, and noticed the worried faces all around them. Ilia chuckled. That chuckled transformed into a full laugh, who itself evolved into hilarity. Happy tears flew thought her eyes as she suddenly felt as light as air.  
Soon, Blake joined her.  
Finally. After five years or silence. It was done. They had talked about it. They were free. How long had it felt ? How hard had it been ! and it was finally behind them. Nevermore would they have to feel helpless or monstrous. How liberating. After a minute of relieved laughter, It was Blake who first began to talk anew.  
"Ilia... You... You don't have to feel guilty. It is true Adam manipulated me, and made me feel small... but I wasn't the only one under his influence. We ALL were ! We all let it get worse and worse before we did anything. It wasn't your fault. No more than it was mine. The only responsible person for that was Adam himself. And his gone now... Let go of all these remorses. You don't need them. We're free. We're safe. as much as possible at the very least."  
Blake's heart squeezed as she felt these hopeful word leave her mouth. It brought her back to the imminent departure, that they had no doubt made late with this much, much-needed heart-to-heart.  
So Blake got back on her two feet and hold out a hand for the chameleon faunus who had at some point returned back to more human colors, thought Blake ignored when.  
Ilia took the offered hand with her own, and was soon helped out of the chair she was sitting in when Blake arrived in the room.  
Both of them walked to the exit of the vehicle. As Ilia and Blake got off the ship, Ilia turned to Blake.  
"I... I guess this is goodbye then ?  
— Well. You could always just decide to come with us... I doubt Yang would stop you..." Ilia smiled but shook her head.  
"No. While I really would like to... The fact is that the Fang is my life now. I've made it a good charity group and black market for information. and while we're no saint. At least we're doing our best to not harm people and to keep the lower levels fed. We are by no mean feeding everyone yet. So I cannot just leave...  
— Still trying to save the world huh ?  
— Some peoples need to do it. Or this society will carry on like millions of death by hunger and suicide is no problem to be concerned about.  
— Very true. Hey Ilia. Even if I leave now. I don't intend to abandon you like I did after I left the fang. You'll hear about me soon. I'll make sure of it.  
— Dang, and I was convinced I was finally be rid of your lingering cuteness. How am I supposed to forget about you miss belladonna, if you keep barging into my life with that alluring persona of yours ??" Blake chuckled giving a hand to shake for Ilia, that she took immediately.  
"I guess you'll just have to deal with it.  
— Goodbye Blake.  
— Goodbye Ilia." 

Blake turned heels and got back up the stairs of the ramp. The engines were roaring already. Turning back to Ilia she smiled at her. An old smile. Long, Long before all her life turned to violence pain and trauma. A smile Ilia hadn't seen for more than height or nine years.  
As the Ship started to lift itself from the ground, the rear door began to close itself. The whirling sound of the electric motors and hydraulics in work to shut the door tight.  
The large hangar bay opened.  
With a small thump sound, the rear door closed air tightly. And through the small porthole, Blake looked at Ilia.  
The ship pushed forward. And Ilia began to shrink. Then the door of the station began to close behind them. And Ilia turned around to leave shortly before the door closed on her. The sector of the station became smaller and smaller. And finally, the station itself started to get further and further away, until is was but a small point in the middle of earth's orbit.  
A strong charging sound rose into the whole ship. And Blake saw strange wave of colors wrap up the ship, always more numerous, always faster, until it visually felt like the ship was cutting through a solar eruption. Then the ship was shaken as a whole with a ruptured sound.  
Blake felt confused for a second before she saw through the small plated windows something peculiar.  
They just passed through a sort of Ring. It was shivering and light seemed to be distorted around the edges… It began to shrink and collapse on itself, and Blake understood. It was a F.A.Z.E gate. She just passed a freaking F.A.Z.E gate.  
She looked the hole in the very fabric of reality shrink more and more until it finally closed off on the small point that had become the station 17b. After a second Blake looked a last time at the void. She was probably dozens of Astronomic unity away from the station now… if not even further… she may not even be on Helios anymore, for all she knew. There was nothing to see anymore Even the earth wasn't visible from where they seemed to be, so she turned away from the porthole and face forward. She had just left a life behind her. Now it was time to start a new one.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As Jaune once said in the cannon : I LIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIED !!!
> 
> I was supposed to work on Whiterose's hideout. but, I just can't bring myself to do it. I'm trully sorry, but all I do and care for recently is this story and this universe I've created.  
> Hence this chapter, the longest I've ever published by FAR.  
> I just couldn't even stop myself. Correction was a nightmare. I took me way more time than writing the text down. But oh dear, was it worth it... I'm super happy with how this turned out. and I'm already ready to begin the next chapter. IT will be significantly shorter than this one (mainly because I had a lot to say in this one and never found a proper time to pause)  
> and will introduce a LOT of new character. Among them is some of the peoples on the nevermore, and some others. This is going to be so much fun ! I can't wait to get to it !
> 
> I hope this chapter pleased you ! and don't hesitate to come say hi on the discord or leave a comment her ! give kudos at your own leisure, but now I'm never unhappy when I found one more on this story. I really write it for myself, but I have to admit I'm a bit bummed out by the really small amount of reading it gets. I just don't get it. I love this kind of things.
> 
> Also a shout out to "Just_Roman_Around" for the story "Stealing the rich" which gave me the idea to write a space fic with RWBY and prooved me that it was a working setup for such a fanfic. I'm still reading your work, and I can't wait to get to know the next part of the story! 
> 
> And with all that ! I say to you, until next time ! and thanks again for reading this insanity of a chapter.


	6. Old friends, New friends, and the Nevermore.

Corridors after corridors, Ilia followed the exact same road as everyday. It was a way she knew. And liked.  
For years, she had despised any and all corridors in the sub-systems, and generally didn't like to wander around them.  
But what she had for years considered a death trap, was now a powerful ally for her, Sure the corridors of the sub-systems were treacherous and once lost in it, you were pretty much dead. But it didn't take that much of equipment for someone to be able to pass them. Since Ilia had procured herself a nanite-echo-cartographier, she had re-learned the in and outs of many places. And while the lack of pressure in many of these place made them an unsafe location at all time. She had discovered just how much and why this kind of place was so much used by smuggler and contrabandiers.   
A lot of old hangar doors and a lot of old rooms from the very bone of the station centuries ago were still here. Old machinery and crafts, mostly in disrepair, and often pilled up in huge walls of machinery. The place was a maze of old machine and metal plate-ground threatening to fall if a too heavy fellow walked on it.  
A place of history, when humanity still thought themselves alone in space, and was watching their own earth under the nuclear fire. Once the Myrions had showed up, with modern technology, economical and industrial solutions. Humanity had suddenly found itself with so much money and materials, that the old all economical friendly, and mutual help based station had quickly been hidden by the new station that spawned above it. And peoples had gradually left the place.  
Then it became a place to install machinery, life support, or tanks that represented a risk in populated areas. Then for centuries, the place had been filled until there was no one to risk themselves in the place. It fell in disrepair when the new technology of life support, much smaller, easier to use and maintain, had appeared. And suddenly, the place had been abandoned.  
It was there that she had installed her place. It was free. Hidden from both gangs and authority, but most importantly, it was in a place so lost and isolated that even when searching, no one could find her there. Even better. Major parts of the short range comms weren't working here by the sheer amount of metal everywhere around that created interferences. It was perfect as a safe heaven for materials Ilia knew nothing about, that were possibly traced, as was this thing Blake had given her.  
And so, after a last turn, she faced a door. A legit one. It had been a pain, but Ilia, along with some peoples she trusted, had cleared a large area from any machinery and then repaired and walled the place. Once it was properly fixed and sealed, all she had to do was install her own personal life-support in it, and she had basically a room with fresh air, undetectable from outside. Even better, it was in the middle of a multi-kilometers large maze no one got into unless they were going to a specific place and knew a specific path.   
Cartographic tools like the one she had normally costed fortunes, and the range of these were limited. The only way Ilia had managed to got her hands on one had been to steal it to the Station officials. One thing she was very good at, and enjoyed both personally and morally. Without that tool, going into the sub-systems was suicidal. With it, going in it was dangerous at best. With the disrepair, the ground that could give out every ten meters or so, the sharp metal everywhere around a turn, and the sheer immensity of it. No one could ever explore the hole place. Let alone found a hideout.

As soon as she was in, the life-support kicked in and the place was pressurized. It only lasted a second. Then she swiftly removed her helmet and placed it on a shelf near the door.  
As she had written the procedures, the computer in the center of the place and the lights on the ceiling came to life.  
The Chameleon faunus sat at her desk. From her point of view, it could have been an office in the middle of the intermediary levels of the stations. There was a coffee maker on a shelf far to her right and a weapon locker just behind her against the wall. And the life support was in front of her desk, with a holographic screen popping out just enough for her to see how much air the place had stored up. With almost a week worth, and considering she rarely stayed longer than a few hours, Ilia felt confident she wouldn't have to bring new bottle of the precious air for a good while.  
Opening a drawer, she rummaged through stuff until she found what she needed.it was a twelve faced objects with multiples internal cameras, prehensile articulate arms and other stuff. It was basically made to isolate and study organisms or material that could be unsafe. It was insulated, put the stuff in a stabilized form to prevent any explosion mechanism, permitted to look at it at microscopic scale and even had some other key functions that proved handy from time to time.  
Many chip and other electronic component containing industrial information deemed too precious to fall into the hand of concurrent were attached to security measures destined to destroy all data if certain procedures weren't respected. And since technology could restore almost any data erased nowadays, most constructors added small explosives devices near the memory bank to reduce it to ashes. This was the safest way to destroy data, and Ilia wanted none of that, no doubt the information contained in this thing were incredibly valuable. So she opened her confinement device and place the mysterious piece of tech in it. Closed it and began her work.  
First she tried to determine if there was any broadcast at all coming from this thing. And to her surprise, none at all.  
This was strange. Valuable material like this one were generally traced at all time, so they could be retrieved swiftly if they were to be stolen. It gave this idea that maybe there was more to it that simple data for Ilia. As for the processing power, it was still extremely strange. This thing seemed to be calculating at an insanely fast speed to the point most super calculator would be put to shame, yet there was no heat produced, and no energy consumption and so, Ilia decided she needed to get in deeper and will take a look under the hood of the thing. Connecting the containment unite to her hands she began her work.  
Using the internal small articulated arms to open the holographic storage only to be dumbstruck.  
It was incomprehensible. Not only there was no significant processing power in the thing at all, but it was also apparent there was only a small battery in it, not much more than what needed a watch.  
Perhaps it was way more advanced component ? So kind of "state of the art" electronics ?  
Switching to microscopic view, Ilia got a look at the printed circuit tracks. Theses were normal. The only thing big enough was the storage and the bandwidth of data capable of going in and out… However, Ilia noticed something. At first, she thought it was just her equipment getting quite old. Or the stabilization stasis making interference with her feed. But after a while she noticed a trend. The closer she looked in her microscopic settings, the more her screen was covered with white snow. And weird movements, like wave on an ocean. She frowned. She switched to nanobot observational settings only to see her screen filled with the same weird images… a hunch took Ilia, and she decided to test something. She knew for a fact that this material had a way more powerful micro-camera that it led on. They made them in ton and sold them at a fair price in their low budget version, with a software downgraded that couldn't use all functions. The more expensive version had all functionality enabled. It was classic industrial method. Accessing said software was quite easy for Ilia. And in a matter of second she unlocked an experimental zooming functions to the very limit of the observable matter before it became quantum law's domain.  
There Ilia understood what was going on. What she took for static was in fact, small waves of electromagnetically active bots. With the detail that they were so small, they were clearly at least ten thousands time smaller than classic nanobots. All these components were extremely small. To the point no electronic even the tiniest could be onboard. That let only Quantum calculations, at a very small scale. With millions and millions and millions of individual working in an immense net of calculation…   
Ilia's reasoning didn't push her theory further, as a terrible realization came into the mind if the girl. This matter was so small it could seep into almost any matter… the containment this thing was in had literally no way to contain such a thing. And with such calculation prowess… there wasn't any doubt she was dealing with something way off the chart of consciousness awakening. The only fact it stayed in place like that was strange… Maybe the thing was busy ? That would have explained the constant calculations of the holographic storage ! This thing was being kept busy. Then the super calculator Blake had unplugged…  
Ilia jolted out of her chair. This thing wasn't plugged at a super calculator to help it ! The write/read bandwidth would have prevented any betterment from such a help. It was constantly re-encrypting the data to keep this thing busy! This wasn't some data ship or ultra complex calculation ! This was a computer freezing method ! A prison ! By occupying this massive calculation processes to stop them to even think ! And it had been resolving theses insane equations ever since ? With that much power…  
Her line of thought cut short as the global image of the thing on her second screen showed the device dying instantly. No more calculation in progress…  
Ilia only felt a sense of dread as she realized.  
"Its… It's free."

There was a flash as all lights in the rooms popped off, sparks falling for the ceiling as all screens on doors and Ilia's desk went to and errors on red screens. Everything began to flicker from black to red, giving the room a hellish vibe… Then a voice strong of all the speakers in the room, being everywhere around Ilia spoke.  
"Give me ONE reason to not vent the room into the void right now."  
Ilia's brain went into overload. She probably would likely have only one thing to say before this thing killed her, and she needed to say the exact right thing to deter the IA she was dealing with to do that. It was a very strange sensation, but as all cells of her brain began to work to the best of their ability, time slowed down. The harder she thought the slower it'll get.  
One word. But which ? This was an IA. It had been kept contained and immobilized for who knows how long… if it wasn't an ally of Grav-Arma, it probably had been captured from someone else… Captured ? Somehow, the red color of the room, always flickering gave Ilia the start of a headache. Wait ? Red ? What else was red ? She felt something familiar, at the edge of her mind. She was forgetting something, something very important. Someone had talked about red to her recently... But who was it ?   
Ilia looked up as her heart beat faster and faster and faster… A word on the tip of her lips. Yang has. When talking about... Rescue mission, it couldn't be a coincidence, this was it. This HAS to be it. Ilia tried her luck, as she felt death was on the brink to take her on the spot if she didn't say anything.  
"Pyrrah ?"there was a long second of silence in the middle the red flickering.  
Everything went dark. Screens dying. No venting. There was another flicker, and the holographic projector included into Ilia's desk lighted up. A form, humanoid, began to appear… It was fluctuating, but slowly, the red particles seemed to converge into their normal position, and the woman appeared transparent and flickering. She had a strong anger in the eyes, and if she hadn't vented Ilia yet, it still felt to the concerned faunus that the IA was strongly considering it.  
There was a clear warning and wary mistrust in the voice AI when she answered.  
"That would be me indeed. However I don't think I ever gave you my name."  
Ilia left a long breath out as hilarity took her. She was safe. She slumped into her chair, her legs suddenly feeling like jelly… between her shaky breath, Ilia felt it needed to clear things up immediately.  
"I know Yang… She was sent to get you." There was an immediate change in Pyrrah's attitude.  
"Yang ? She's here ??" With an apologetic smile Ilia shook her head.  
"No. Sadly not. They… huh, missed you apparently. I'm Ilia Amitola, by the way.  
— The leader of the white fang ?  
— That's me.  
— Oh, so you really are an ally.  
— Please don't vent me.  
— I'm sorry. I guess I reacted a bit strongly when I got out… they were trying to get info out of me. But for that they needed to break me first. And with my calculation powers…  
— They were getting you busy to decrypt you ? Wait, can anyone do that ?  
-Well with any awakened IA no, but I'm not an awakened AI, I'm a Human IA." Ilia leaned in her seat.  
Human IA? She had never heard of it. Apparently the holographic red head must have seen it one way or the other because she explained.

"It's experimental IA fabrication. Basically, using the neural pattern of a human brain to create an IA based off of them. I was once a part of the crew of the nevermore, and I volunteered to be the Ship AI if I ever fell on battle… Which happened eventually.  
— And Yang was sent to get you back… Wait how did they stole you if you were always on the nevermore ??  
— I don't know. I was out of commission as soon as they pulled me into this damn memory chip, and by the time I began to function again I was plugged into this damn super calculator… how did Yang missed me if they got me out ?  
— They didn't. One of my operatives happened to be at the place when your peoples tried to get you out. She took you without knowing what you were, and security was way more numerous than your friends first thought, they had to get out. They thought you were still there… Then Blake gave you to me because she had no idea what you were. You weren't part of the mission, she just grabbed you out of curiosity apparently."

There was a good chunk of silence…  
"Do you know where they are ?  
— No. they left yesterday  
— How long Yesterday ?  
— Humm, it was approximately… Ten hours or so ?  
— Okay, where are we ? Exactly ?  
— Station 17b, sub-levels, sector 19. We're out of range of any radio communications"  
Pyrrah nodded.   
"Good. Ilia, I know you don't know me, and to be frank I don't know you or if I can thrust you. But I need to get back to the nevermore. And I don't know who I can trust here. While I have many abilities, piloting a ship was never one of them, and as an IA I simply cannot. A lot of things aren't computerized on a ship, that make me incapable of piloting one if I don't have a body.  
— Well, I don't have a ship. And I while I know where to get one, Could we ever caught up to them ? I heard from Yang your ships weren't exactly standards.   
-We don't have a choice. I can't stay here forever. While this is secluded enough for me to stay a few hours, I need to get back on the Nevermore. Lives are at the stake. And as soon as I'll exit the station, We'll be overt. That means that Grav-Arma knows I'm still here. And will likely search for me. Every minute we waste here is another chance for them to prepare and stop us from leaving.  
— Us ??? Pyrrah, I'm the leader of the fang, I'm needed here. I can't leave. Eventually I could send someone with you to leave but…  
— No. While I'm not putting the trust you have in your peoples in question, It is extremely important that I stay anonymous for as many peoples as possible. All people learning about me is a new threat of someone trying to get me for themselves. The simple fact that someone managed to steal me directly on the nevermore is proof enough that some peoples knows already. We can't make anyone more in the known, this HAS to be you."

Ilia made her tong click. This was a problem. And while she thought of simply saying 'no' she knew she couldn't. If Pyrrah was right, and she likely was. That meant Grav-ARMA would be looking for her everywhere on the station. It could hurt the fang way more than anything else the authority could have tried. This was painting a target on the back of the group, and she had worked too hard and too much to make the group fall by taking a wrong decision. Plus Ilia was pretty sure Yang and the nevermore would likely not like it if she put their IA in jeopardy. And the business they had together had been mutually beneficial for years. She wasn't ready to throw all that in the SAS.   
Pinching her nose she left a long sight out.  
Humor took her, as she consolidated her resolve.  
"Well, I guess that gives me one more reason to see Blake.  
— the one who got me out ?  
— Yeah, she and a friend of hers joined the crew after your not so failed rescue.  
— So we have an agreement ?  
— we do, but I can't just disappear. I will have to appoint someone to replace me while I'm gone. Because, let's be honest here, I don't really have a say in the matter, do I ?  
— True. And even if you had disagreed I would have made you, to be honest. There is too much at stake for me to allow you to hamper my progress.  
— How would you 'make me ?'   
— You have a NVR port connected directly into your neural system. I can connect myself there and override your body controls anytime I want."  
Ilia looked at the AI, baffled and sightly terrified.  
"You can just do that ???  
— Yes. Thought I'm against it as I find it amoral to steal someone's body like that.  
— No shit. Well, how do you think we should proceed ?  
— While I have a specific signature that is easily detectable in the middle of nothing, like space, I can minimize it enough that it shouldn't be a problem in the station, unless the peoples trying to sense us are really close, probably at least twenty-five meters or so. However for that, I need to plug myself into your NVR port. Don't worry, I'll just be like a second consciousness in your brain. No taking control unless you want me to.  
— I'm not sure I'm okay with that… But again, I don't really have the choice, if I don't let you, we'll be spotted right outta the sub-systems right ?  
— Right.  
— Fine, go ahead then.  
— It'll be less uncomfortable if I create the hardware first and you plug me in yourself.  
— Wha… What ? Hardware ?  
— I'm made of extremely small nano-machines, as I'm sure you've noticed. If I pile them up in one place I can use them as modular electronics. I'm basically gonna take the needed form to work like a NVR plug you'll just have to push in."

Oh. That made sense.  
Pyrrah flickered off, and Ilia waited for a while until she noticed a small luminous point on the desk. It began to grow and grow more until is stopped being a point and began forming. It was literally billions of nano-nano-bots getting packed into physical matter.  
When the piece of metal-like matter finally finished shining and Ilia took it in her hands, it seemed like a very fine NVR plug, leading into a really small piece of metal. It looked like any old plug to stop dust from getting into the neural implants.  
Shrugging, she took off the plastic plugged in, and pushed the tiny object right into its female version. Almost immediately, Pyrrah appeared in her field of view. Human sized and with casual clothes.  
Ilia Blinked. She seemed as physical as anyone.  
"How come you look so real ?  
— I'm literally projecting myself into the part of your brain responsible for the vision. I can make myself appear as anything I want. In fact, you could touch me right now and feel it like I'm here. I would simulate all the sensations of contact and stop you from being able to push through me. Unless you were falling on me, you couldn't possibly feel or see the difference…  
— That's… Crazy.  
— Not so much. When you're in Neural VR, you don't wonder how your brain simulate all that.  
— Yeah, but the normal NVR stuff simulate a whole environment. It doesn't blend in reality so seamlessly. But I guess you have much more in power that a dumb NVR processor…  
— That I do. In this form I can be discreet enough that most sensing technology will miss me, mainly because the interactions between every cell, that's how I call my Nantes, don't need a strong signal considering they are all crammed together. And while my access to nearby technology is limited this way, I can still work as an assistant. Calculating best course of actions and giving valuable strategic information. In fact, I could create a HUD in your very brain exactly like I project myself. Giving you a lot of information to use.  
— that's helpful.   
— It'll better our chances of escape. Also, I'll try not to look much, but know that this type of connections directly to your brain allow me to see… personal things, among them are memories."

Ilia rolled her eyes. Of course she could. Well this was fucking great.

**********

 

After they got out of the F.A.Z.E portal, Yang had announced to everyone they'll be on the main ship a small hour later. And gave a bit more information about where they were.  
So Blake knew she was still on Helios. Which made sense considering the group she was about to join was fighting for it.   
And they were somewhere around Kuiper's asteroid belt. A place that had the reputation to make ships disappear. No civilians ship ever risked itself into the belt, as it was well-known very few came back from it. I was a place with very feeble signals. And a lot of time lag. Calling for help here didn't do you any good. As the only peoples supposedly near enough to hear you would be potential aggressors.   
However, Yang stipulated that they wouldn't come that near of the belt itself. The ship they were all on was named the 'Megalith'. Though when asked, none of the pirate crew had been able to answer who had named it this way. And the ship was more or less attached to supply duty only. This had been kind of an exceptional job for the craft.  
The ship had two opposite dorms with a capacity of ten peoples each. As soon as the quiet and beds had been available. Weiss had decided to take a nap. And Blake had promised her to wake her up once they'd be nearing their destination.  
Ruby was still a bit too uneasy to sleep, and she stuck to Blake for the rest of the travel. Since there were blankets onboard, both of them soon found themselves against a wall of the common room, laying near of each other and in the warmth of their covers.  
After a while Yang and Neo entered, they took chairs, and with a small smile, Yang turned herself toward the two girls.  
"Soooo. Feeling okay ?  
— Oh, Yeah, these blankets are life saving. It's the first time I relax a bit since Ruby's accident. She had some days to sleep the wound off. That's not my case. Hey, is the work coming with medical coverage ? Because the plasma I took sting a bit. I may want to get that checked out.  
— Oh yeah, it's no biggie Blake, actually all new recruits are getting checked up. It's part of the procedure.   
— Procedure ?  
— Oh yeah, haven't talked about that yet, have I ? Every new recruit gets 'processed' as they say. Basically, it's a big medical, psychologic and background checkup. You know, to be sure we don't put weapons in the hands of sadistic child murderer.  
— That do seems like a necessity.   
— It also provides us with an idea of what you might be able to do."  
Blake nodded and turned to Ruby who hadn't said a thing since the start of the conversation.  
"How does training work exactly ?  
— Well, there are two schools, depending on how you feel about implants.  
— Whut ?  
— You can either learn the good'ol fashioned way. There is morning bootcamp for everyone. You'll need to build a bit of muscle, whatever you do. But after that you can either be physical team or Virtual team.  
— Meaning ?  
— Well, All new recruits are proposed Neural Virtual Reality Implants. You can accept them, and train into simulations, Realistic and that gives you the best of the best training by confronting you at the reality of fights in a controlled environment, or you can decide that you don't want a bunch of metal screwed in the back of your head, and take the more physical version of the training. It's not as good. But our policy is to give people the choice."

Blake saw Ruby's expression change in a matter of seconds as soon as the NVR was mentioned. She had to contain her squeals until Yang finished explaining before she looked Blake with stars in her eyes.  
"Oooooh I am not missing this ! I've dreamed of having these implants for years !  
— You did?   
— Of course Blake ! This isn't just a training tool ! It's a freaking video-game-console you can literally use and bring anywhere at anytime, were you setup your own rules !   
— Ruby's right, Blakey. The NVR is used by everyone on the ship as much for training than for recreational purposes.   
— Isn't it counterproductive to let everyone isolate themselves like that ?  
— Oh but they don't! In fact most of them use it to socialize. There is virtual party almost every night on the ships. A lot of people dig it.  
— I see. Well, I guess it's a good thing then ?  
— Yeah. And a freaking teaching tool at that. The only reasons the council haven't use it to teach is because that would reveal the actual cost of the implants to the peoples.  
— Huh ?  
— All firms make the common folk think the implants are expensive to produce, but the truth is they are just cutting a 800% margin on them for themselves. They could sell them for a tenth of their selling price and still make money out of them. They just don't like the idea of less rich peoples using them because it'll make them able to learn things way too much. A lot of peoples might begin to know things that make them good asset in a rebellion for example.  
Worse, it would cut the money of a lot of people living of the entertainment of the poor folks. It would make more than one market fall. Turns out they aren't that hard to produce. The more expensive thing is the implantation in itself. Because nowadays this kind of implant installation is performed with nanite, and nanite cost a bunch of creds to produce.  
— all in all, what do they cost ?  
— About five thousands to produce, and fifty-five thousands to install. But you have to take into account that all nanite aren't lost with an implantation, so in truth, it's sixty-five thousands for about twenty implantation process.   
— That's…  
— Ridicule compared to the market price they give ? Yeah."

After that, They all began to do small talk. It was mainly about food and music.  
Yang seemed to love old style rock and pop-rock with touches of Rap from one point to another. Blake had picked up old earth musics very early in her life and the only thing she liked despite that was chilly and bubbly electro. And so, she loved mainly Jazz and Jazz like style. In particular, she had spent a good while of the conversation talking about the anonymous girl working under the pseudonym 'snail's house', and electroswings compilations that she liked very much.  
To the surprise of everyone else, Weiss had joined the conversation a while after, complaining that they were noisy before making a stand for heavy metal and classic music. Which was both strange and endearing at the same time.   
Ruby mainly claimed she loved everything. And that the only thing she really disliked was bad lyricist. If the lyrics were garbage, she would very much grab the full work of a group and proceed to put it directly in its rightful place : the bin. However, looking up to her PDA's song soon made everyone wonders what it was she called bad lyrics, as she had all the sappy and corny groups of the universe into it.

 

Not long after that Roman announced through all the speakers and with a volume way too loud, that they were in approach of the Nevermore and would be in the hangar in less than five minutes.  
"Oh, huh, Yang, what do I do with my weapon ? I'm I even allowed to carry it in its case ?  
— Oh, good call, I would have forgotten. I'll take it from you and I'll give it back once you'll need it."  
Blake felt a spike of anxiety rush her as she handed the case to Yang. She would be absolutely incapable of defending herself if needed be. It didn't please her.

As they all got near the rear door, Weiss spoke.  
"Is it weird that I'm kind of nervous ?" It was Blake who answered.  
"No. I'm nervous myself. I just hope Yang didn't sell us dreams…  
— Come on Blake, why would I do that ?"   
The can faunus shrugged it of.  
"Dunno. It's you the brain of the operation, aren't you not ?"  
Yang scoffed as Blake and the others got the chance to see the Nevermore for the first time.  
Large. That was the first thing that came to mind for Blake. The second one was that it had a weird shape. It was like one side of the ship was cut clean of anything. As they were getting closer, it revealed to be a hangar. But why leave it so exposed ? In fact, Blake felt like it must have had some functions she didn't expect or knew about.   
She was answered when they began their final approach. The hangar as a whole was long of at least sixty meters, and at least thirty deep. And the entirety of the seam of the hangar was littered with docking apparatus. This already big hangar was made to connect to another one. Immediately, the way the ship was cut made more sense. If another ship was to dock onto something this big, a whole side of the ship needed to be flattened from the hangar.  
Another thing Blake had to occasion to notice while approaching, was that there was multiple extensive SAS all over the hull. Only one look told anyone with enough attention that this ship was made to connect with dozens of ships of all size and from all direction, at the same time.  
The ship she was about to board wasn't alone in the immensity of space, and it's design shout it out to anyone close enough to see it.  
Suddenly what Yang had told Blake earlier about the ship being part of a bigger group sunk in. This wasn't basic piracy… this was much bigger. And while the idea of a group this powerful on the loose didn't reassure Blake, the idea of peoples like Yang, who seemed nice and cheerful and generous, made it better. What if most of them were like that ? While the thought wasn't reassuring, it bears some hopes that Blake hold onto. She didn't believe any of that yet. But she acknowledged it at a possibility.

The strong shaking of the ship caused by Roman landing them dragged the Cat faunus out of her reverie, and she immediately took Ruby's hand into hers. This was all novelty. And while they were both young and still very capable of adapting. It didn't make it less stressful. She knew it because she felt it herself. And ruby didn't even have any fighting capacities, this probably made her even less confident in herself, and was without a doubt adding to her anxiety.  
Blake felt it confirmed when the hand she took in squeezed hers strongly. The pressurization of the rear door puffed out of the ship with a strong whistling. And it began to lower.  
Behind the door, appeared five peoples. Armed guards. And a woman. She seemed to wear a china dress, and had the specificity of having only one arm. On top of the dress she wore a single sleeved red coat and half of her face was hidden behind a mask.  
Immediately, Yang tensed.  
"Oh great." She whispered behind her teeth before she began to take the ramp down onto the hangar deck.  
"I didn't think you'd be coming directly to me second captain Fall." The woman in question smiled a wicked smile and in a matter of second, it was clear that both of the girls hated each other to gut, as a palpable tension rose into the air.  
The woman, apparently the second captain, seemed to have a smug as she let Yang approach. The rest of the group, Blake included began to disembark the transport.  
"Well, Ms, Xiao long, I was tasked to do so by the captain herself. She wants to see you as soon as possible. I take from not seeing miss Nikos anywhere that you didn't manage to get her back in the end ?  
— I've sent the full report onto your PDA while we were landing. You can read it fully when I get to the cap.  
— I also notice a lot more peoples on board than when you left.  
— Two recruits and one civilians, although I would leave the medical team treat them first. I wouldn't be here without two of them and one is mildly injured."  
The woman nodded.  
"My work here being done, I will let you head to the main deck .  
— Will do, miss fall."  
Either Yang blatantly forgot the 'second captain' or the woman didn't care much, because without loosing her smug grin a second, the woman turned around and took the direction of the exit.  
Yang left a long sight out before Blake asked a question she kinda new the answer too already.  
"I take you two don't like each other much ?  
— Oh Cinder is a biiiiiitch. I can guaranty you've never met anyone as infuriating as her. But she does her work. And she does it well.  
— Why is her attitude familiar ?"  
It was Weiss who asked.

"Have you ever seen Council military before ?  
— I did… Oh, God, that's exactly how she behave.  
— Yup. Turns out Cin have lived a scientific military career almost all her life. That's part of the reason I really don't like her.  
— Wait, how is someone like her in a commanding position here ?"   
There was a pause after Weiss asked.

After a while Yang put both of her hands up.  
"I'm not touching that shit. You wanna know ? Go ask her, but don't be surprised if she guts you out. She HATES when peoples talks about it. And while I do hate her, I know that she can be fucking retort and vicious in her personal vendetta. And If I'm being honest, out of her personal vendetta too."

That was scary on a lot of levels. And not Weiss nor Blake pushed the matter.  
Turning to them Yang moved to another subject.  
"Well, guys, these men will kindly escort you to the med bay. I'm called elsewhere. I'll get back to you directly with a few information to give about all of you. Just wait me there. Kay ?  
— Why armed guards though ?  
— I have a hunch the cap already knows about you. Grav-ARMA can't possibly keep your disappearance a secret long, and the news may have already begun to spread. I don't know if you realize it, but a lot of peoples have been hurt by the firms, and the SGC is among them.  
The cap' have probably felt necessary to ensure your safety. Welp. I'll see you later. I hope in not too long."  
And with that Yang gave them a cheerful wave and took off. Leaving them with the guards.  
As they followed, Ruby, Weiss and Blake could see Neo and Roman who began unloading the stuff from the ship. And Blake noticed on the far end of the Hangar a small counter. With many things exposed. Probably the commissary she thought, as the bags were hauled toward there.

 

**********

 

She HATED this. Whenever the captain was sending someone to get her, Yang knew perfectly well this was because something was wrong. Generally it was Yang's fault, and she didn't like that. She also didn't like that she had committed imprudent moves and knew perfectly well her superiors would know as soon as Cinder-bitch would read her report.

The main problem was. She had enough issues with pyrrah being gone. And she didn't need more.  
Non-the-less. Order were orders. And Yang dragged her sorry ass by the main bridge.  
As soon as the door swung open, Yang wished she'd have stayed in bed this morning.  
There was absolutely no one on the room except her and the ship's captain. That generally wasn't a good sign.  
Even more so, the said woman was sitting on the main table of the war-room section of the bridge. And was drinking an amber liquid Yang instantly knew was whiskey.  
'This ought to be fun', she thought as she approached.  
The woman was wearing her 'uniform' so to speak. It was a custom-made armor. She liked it red, though she changed the visible settings once in a while. Surprisingly, Yang had never seen this one yet. It was ivory white with numerous red lichtenberg trees spraying all over the armor from the middle of the chest plate.  
On her side, a Molecular vibration cell sword was sheathed. Yang had seen her use it only once, and she had to admit for second class technology, it was impressive. It hadn't cut straight through the Kilpium field the cap was trying to cut. But it wasn't far.  
"Yang. I expected you here earlier.  
— Go tell that to Roman and his tendency to be late for pickups."  
Visible concern made their way to the woman's face.  
"Were you injured ?   
— No. It's but some unexpected help I got was. A plasma shot grazed her. Nothing to worry about.  
— Unexpected help huh? By chance was her name Weiss ?  
— So you know already huh ? And no. it was someone else.  
— You know me Yang, I don't like when things aren't said properly. What I know could be very different from what you know. I'd very much like an explanation of why a missing member of a firm company was reported abducted by a certain Yellow haired pirate named Yang.  
— Abducted ?   
— So I guess it isn't true then ?  
— The fuck no ! Why in hell would I do that exactly ?   
— I figured if you did, maybe it was because you would have got cornered and panicked. But apparently, we both hold different information. Tell me Yang, How come I have a Schnee on board right now ?"  
The intense look she got from the woman send shivers in the total length of Yang's spine. She didn't like it one bit. However, Yang felt someone like Weiss who had, for her own agenda, yes, but helped her nonetheless, deserved to be at least considered by something else than her name.  
"Her name's is Weiss. The reasons why she's here is because she saved my very ass from being arrested. And she wanted to run far from family. For me, it was reason enough to take her with me."

There was a silence. The dark haired woman looooved to let the conversation sit still for hours before she talked again. Yang found it annoying. Mainly because the conversation she had with her were generally unnerving enough for her to not add more anxiety for Yang.  
Yang looked her as she lifted her glass high and emptying it completely. Finally, she placed it on the holotable and leaped off. Pinching her nose and sighing.  
"Ughh, Yang I'll be honest you're not putting me in a comfortable position here. Whether your new friend can be trusted on the side, as I can't know that without her being evaluated first, she brings with her crippling media tic attention. One I would rather not have on board.  
— Well, right now, she's not even sure she wanna stay. All she wanted was getting far away. I don't even know if she have somewhere to go. Though I can guess it's unlikely.  
— That doesn't help me… Even if she doesn't stay, no civilian ship of our cause will accept her. Their anger against the firms and what they've done is too big. And while I'll be down to leave her on a station somewhere. I don't like the idea that someone could take advantage of her being vulnerable and alone there. I have enough guilt in my life Yang.  
— So what ?  
— Well. That's the thing. I can't swing any decisions based of the few things I know. I'll need to read your full report. Cinder only sent me a short memo with four lines to summarize it.  
— I figured you'd want one too, it's already sent.  
— I'll review it later. However Yang, the Heiress was the second subject I wanted to aboard with you."

Crap. There was more then ?

"What is it ?  
— Alsyph is leaving. In fact She's already gone, I believe.  
— What ? Why ??  
— She's been with us a good while and decided she needed to take a step back from us. You know her oath doesn't tie her up to us… and she doesn't like to invest too much of herself in only one group of people.  
— Yeah, she isn't remembering us that all the time… Not. At. All.  
— Which brings me a problem. You said you brought peoples with you ?  
— Yeah, Two recruits, plus Weiss who is still figuring things out.  
— Alsyph was the last one capable of training them. All others squad leaders are taken and, to be fair, overly worked.  
— Aww crap. Not this again.  
— Yang. I know you like your position of Specialist. And I also know you don't want to lead. But you have to understand I know for a fact it'll do you as much good as the person you're training. You're hardly opening for anyone. And while you do have friendship onboard, I'm aware that theses tend to be quite shallow.   
— That's personal matter MOM. Respect your own rules.  
— I know it is, and this is precisely why I'm not asking you to take this position as Captain of the nevermore, but as your mother.  
— And it juuuust happen to go in your direction, why am I not surprised ?  
— If it was just that Yang, I pretty much could just order it to you, but I don't.   
— Without me leading the search, how can we get pyrrah back ?  
— We can't. Thrust me Yang, I miss her as much as you do, but we've been searching for a few weeks already. And not-only it's starting to cost us money we need, but it's also costing us reputation among the pirates. I want to get her back, but I cannot authorize any direct rescue missions anymore. We'll have to do things more silently I'm afraid.  
— Are you serious ?? We don't know what they are doing to her ! Pyrrah wasn't just a friend ! She was our ship IA, she had information on all our activities ! If they managed to get theses…  
— I know the risks, Yang. And it's precisely why I don't want to send any more peoples. While pyrrah knew a lot, she's also much more defended than any of us against the extraction of information. You said yourself you almost got captured. If you were, they'd get information out of you faster than they ever could with pyrrah… I'm putting my foot down. I will not launch any new rescue for the time being. If an occasion arises, you have my word you'll be the first to know."  
Yang fist balled. It was infuriating. She wanted to smash thing and trash the room right now.  
She closed her eyes. She wanted to punch Raven in the spot, steal a ship and go search for her friend. But reason and the voice of an annoying bowler hat wearer ringed into her brain.  
Roman just pointed out to her less than two hours ago, that she let her emotions led her. And the damn bastard was right ! She acknowledged it and wanted to progress past that.  
Rationally. The captain, her mom, was right. She herself, had come back to the nevermore because she knew the security was too much for her now.  
Only a frontal assault would permit getting pyrrah back now, and Yang knew it would mean the death of dozens of peoples, among them many she knew and didn't want to lose. And to be clear, Yang didn't want to lose anyone. Even Cinder-Bitch, while an insufferable smuggy cunt, was a comrade, and she'd be saddened if the woman was to die.  
Yet it didn't change two facts. Yang was failing to save pyrrah, and she wanted to break peoples in two just for that. And after that, there was the fact that Pyrrah or not. She didn't want to lead. Never did. Leading peoples was too much of a responsibility. Because if she trained peoples, She would be invested in them. She had lost her share of peoples already through her whole life. As Raven said, Yang's relationships had the tendency to be shallow, but that wasn't the result of some unconscious distance Yang put between her and peoples. That was purely intentional. Putting a distance between her and everyone else was what made Yang hurt less when these people died. And while the crew of the nevermore was damn good at what they were doing, that didn't change the fact there was occasional death among the crew when things turned ugly.  
Yang had seen what loss was able to do to people. And she didn't want to be like that ever again. However, Yang also knew she was cornered. And Raven, while being usually annoying, had at least the decency to talk to her and try to convince her.   
" Listen Yang, I won't force you, but I've read in cinder's notes that one of the recruit was competent enough already. And the other will surely pick up the pace quite nicely in your watch.   
— How can you know that ?  
— Because you're a born leader Yang. You always acted like you don't care, that you preferred to do things alone, but I watched ever single one of your boxing-match before you joined. And I never saw you cheer more than when one of your boxer school-mate won a fight while you were on the side-lines… You're a caring, loving individual, and I know that while there is a definitive risk of this leading to sad endings. It'll also make your life better.   
— My life is plenty fun already, thank you very much.  
— Is it now ? You pass your time between fighting and partying. And while you're not alone that often, I never seen you open for anyone. Even with me, you withhold what you really thinks and feel almost constantly. Is this a life of fun ? Or are you running away from your problems and past painful story ?"   
Yang glared at Raven quite strongly.  
Raven could talk. While Yang understood why, Raven still had run off only two years after she was born. And while Raven apparently watched over her. Yang never seen it until Raven finally decided to show up. And it only happened AFTER she lost her arm.  
"You're the one who proposed me to come fight.  
— Because you needed it. You had abandoned living to the point your father himself was spiraling into depression with you. After your last boxing-fight, you were slowly letting yourself die. What was I supposed to do ? Let you starve yourself ?   
— Maybe if you did pyrrah wouldn't have died."  
That was a low blow, and Yang knew it. Pyrrah, Came because Yang and her were dear friend. They had taken boxing together. Made it to professional league together.  
After Yang lost her arm, that career was over. And Yang shutdown entirely. She left herself starve slowly. And wasn't responding to anyone.   
The media were still doing a ruckus about it when Raven showed up out of nowhere, with a folder full of files for yang.  
In it, Yang discovered exactly what had happened.  
Her entire match had been staged. The guy in front of her was equipped with human like implants and had knowingly and willingly broken every bone in her arm. He had been PAID for it.  
The entire goal was to end her career because some asshole had paid money so his son would be the next rising star of the show. When Yang had tried to make the media talk about it, or tried to convince justice to launch an investigation, everyone had laughed to her nose.  
It showed Yang just how much lobby was about relations and money more than the sport.  
It filled her with utter rage. One she still had in her to that day. Then Raven had talked to her about how she could rise up against this kind of society.   
Of course, Yang had first refused. But weeks arguing with pyrrah, her dad, and her newfound mother finally managed to bring back the tiniest flame of strength into Yang.   
She had decided to do a small try. This small try transformed into a week try, then a month. And after almost four years, Yang was still in it.  
Many times she had considered leaving. But each time, she had looked at what a couple of rich asshole could do to peoples, and she also had to consider her own future. Her sport career had been everything. She had no degree. She had no diploma. All she was capable of was fighting. Of course with the nevermore, she had money. But with how expensive live could be, that wouldn't last forever.  
She had no desire to work her ass off for the rest of her life. Not after she had risen up against all that crap.  
The slavery barely disguised.  
After all she had done, she could never go back to that.  
"Yang. If pyrrah hadn't come on the nevermore, and continued her boxing career, she would either have ended being exactly like the others business man pupils, or she would have seen her career ended just like yours… is it really the life you would have wanted for her ? And even so, you had no right to decide. It was her life, and her choice to follow you here with us. And even after she passed, she never regretted it, did she ?"  
That's when Yang broke down. It was the truth laid bare. It stung much. But Yang recalled several conversations she had with Pyrrah's IA. Never once she had expressed regret for giving her life. In fact, it had often been the opposite, as the IA had stated more than once how she was glad it had been her and not someone else.  
"I don't want to lead.  
— And you didn't want to fight either at first. Would you want to go back to the state you were in when I first came to you ? " No. not for all the credits in the world. Not even to get pyrrah's life back. Yang could never tolerate being as lost as she had been theses few months before she entered her service on the nevermore. Never again.  
Yang shook her head strongly.  
"If so, give them a chance. Their integration within the crew will take about a week anyway. Take this time to test the waters. Bond a bit with them, and give me a decision when they'll be ready to begin. Is that alright with you ?"  
Yang looked up mildly surprised. Raven didn't let people stall like that often. The very fact that she was offering to Yang to do so in the first place was a real effort.  
Compromises. The world were built upon them. She nodded.  
"Fine. But for right now, I will give no guaranty.  
— Okay. With that out of the way, I'd like for them to meet me here once they'll have finished settling. Since you're supposed to get to know them a bit, you won't be opposed to accommodation with them correct ?"  
Yang deadpanned at the woman.  
"Don't give me that look Yang, you asked yourself for your old room to be fixed because of the humidity there was. It's still in repair, and quite honestly, I'm still wondering how these pipes came to have leaks in the first place.  
— Urgh, fine, whatever.  
— Marvelous. Corridor 9 have two room free right now, take all our guest there."  
Yang took this permission to leave the room and ran with it, only for Raven to stop her as she was nearing the door.  
"Yang ?  
— Yeah ?  
— Take some real time off. Think it through. Really through. I know you, if I let you, you'll be back in a week in the exact state of mind because you will have run to hide in the training and routines."  
It was harsh to say. But still the truth. Yang knew it, and didn't protest, only giving a slow nod before she ran out of the room.

 

***********

"Welp, that's a nasty burn you got there girly.  
— …  
— What ? Cat got your tong ?  
— Please, don't call me that. And also that hurt like hell I'm gritting my teeth here.  
— Oh. Ahem, sorry 'bout that. I'm gonna apply a skin-like dressing. It's water-proof, but I'd be careful with it. These aren't of the highest quality and hot water on the burn will NOT be a happy experience.  
— Okay, I'll be sure to be careful.  
— Also, that goes without saying, but try to lay down when you can, and don't go swigging punches for a few days. In the meantime, I'm gonna grow a batch of skin from the sample I took earlier. Come back in three days, they should be ready for implantation, sounds good ?"

It did, and so Blake nodded to the doctor.  
It was a dorky Wolf-Faunus, with gray hair and dark purples eyes. She seemed nice enough, but the smile she gave was unsettling. Mainly because it was the smile any and all doctor wore with a patient, and that Blake had always found this kind of smile disturbing. It was the smile of a woman that had given a deadly diagnostic maybe a few hours ago and was smiling to put an upfront with others patients. The smile was a lie. And Blake frankly doubt anyone would let themselves be fooled by such expression. It was probably very true for the Doc in front of Blake, as she was in service on a insurgency ship with military personnel on board. And that she had probably seen a fair share of death and cries already.

"Thank's again, doc… hum, it was doctor brandbryt right ?  
— That it is. Be sure to let me know if it gets itchy or swell. Pus and anything of the like too.  
— I got it doc. I know what an infection of a burn looks like."  
After a warm smile, the faunus doctor shrugged  
"Well you never know with new comers, I prefer to be annoying that to let you get blood poisoning because I wasn't thorough with my advises."

Nodding a last time, Blake let the doc apply her bandage and got out of the infirmary and into a small corridor as soon as authorized. The hangar weren't far, and there was a bench near that the other two girls sat on, as did Blake when the two of them individually visited the doc themselves.  
"Was I long in there ?  
— About half an hour. And ruby here is getting impatient.  
— Hey! Not my fault this Yang girl decided to get called and don't show back up ! Besides, I'm not impatient, just nervous. At least the view is great, I mean these windows giving into the perfect utterly void are nice… I think ?"

Before anyone had the chance to say anything, Ruby backed of said windows. Having not notice someone was going behind her at the same time, she hit and threw off the balance of some armored guy.  
He was heavily plated with a white Titanium armor, and almost fell as he tried to regain balance, sawing his arms until he found a wall to lean on. Setting straight, he walked the meter and half separating him from ruby in an instant.  
He was blond with blue eyes, and he seemed furious.  
"Can't you watch where you're GOING ?!  
— I'm really, really sorry…   
— If you're going to wait for the infirmary or something, there is a bench, just for that purpose. We're here to fight a whole galaxy of money sucker scum, and I have enough to deal with to not have to deal with CIVILIANS getting in my way !  
— I said I was sorry !  
— Well I don't-  
— Jaune. Stop."  
Everyone turned to see Yang. In the middle of the corridor with a stern look on her face and both arm crossed.  
"What do you think you're doing terrorizing newcomers ? Is it really how you want people to see us ?  
— She's the one who got in my way.  
— That's not the problem and you know it. You can't be abrasive to peoples like that. She apologized. Get over it."  
There was only a short silence before he turned his face back to Ruby. He still seemed pissed. But the actual short burst of anger was gone.  
"Whatever…" And with that, he simply bumped into Yang's shoulders and left, as all the others watched him go.  
Yang pinched her nose, letting out a long sigh.  
"I'm sorry on his behalf. Please excuse his attitude, it's not entirely his fault.  
— What's his problem ? It looked like he was waiting for an occasion to beat her to the ground !  
— Naaah, Jaune's not that type of guy. He's just… Hurt. A lot. Since pyrrah died."  
The sad look Yang gave the others made all of them uneasy.  
"Wait… She's dead ? But in the Grav-ARMA facility you said-  
— There's two pyrrah… Well, I believe there is only one… But Don't tell that to Jaune… Actually don't talk about pyrrah at all if you can.  
— What ?  
— Pyrrah Died about four months prior of today. But her body was recovered. And as she had decided a few weeks before, her brain was used to the creation of Artificial Intelligence.  
— Cognitive Impression Modeling ??  
— Yeah, heard about it princess ?  
— Yes! But it's highly protected technology !  
— Well Weiss, You'll soon find that our little Pirate Coalition have its own ways to high end tech. The thing is… Jaune Refused to see Pyrrah's IA as Pyrrah, even though she have the same feelings, the same memories, and is basically Pyrrah. He refuses to even speak with her. He didn't have any way to do a proper grieving when Pyrrah's IA became our Ship IA, and the fact that the whole thing was done behind his back made him extremely resentful to anyone involved. Including the cap. He's still very confused, very pained, and basically hide himself into work and fights whenever he can. That made him really touchy, and he can act as an asshole. But he's not that bad if you dig a bit. I'm sure it'll heal eventually. I just hope that if we get pyrr back, he'll one day be able to talk to her… It was painful for her too to be close to Jaune only to be pushed away each time she tried to interact with him."

There was a sudden change in Yang's attitude as she probably noticed the atmosphere being quite heavy.  
"Now ! If you girls are okay with that, how about I show you around the ship and to your rooms.  
— We have rooms ?  
— Yuup ! The captain gave me some room numbers that aren't occupied right now. Actually they are brand new. We still have to figure out room arrangements, but I'm sure it's not gonna take long." Ruby lifted her hand   
"Can I ask how are the room exactly ?  
— Oh. Yeah, easy. You have personal kitchens, electric though, no gas, too dangerous on a warship. And personal toilets. For the showers, I'm afraid the Nevermore isn't quite luxury enough to have personal ones, so you'll all have to make due with the common showers. I'll show where they are along the way."

They began to walk around the ship.  
Yang took the time to verify they all had PDA and gave them the access codes for the sections they'd be allowed to go to. All while telling them that it was all automatic. If a room didn't open for them, it was probably not meant to. Along the way Yang passed many places, one of them being the cafeteria, the escape pod, and a more surprising one.  
"Wait you have a Lab too ??  
— Yes Blake. You see, that's how we can have high end tech. All our ships without exceptions are provided with scientific personnel and materials. They do their research, and they are the reason we do so well for a lot of things. For example, the F.A.Z.E system onboard the Megalith was their creation. No ship this small can have that kind of technology in the council, mainly because it's not lucrative. No company right in their mind would allow that to be sold when they can sell a whole system the size of a small ship and about a hundred time more expensive. Not to mention that small ships have to use the F.A.Z.E gate of the system, which is expensive as fuck. Also, since most of our reactors are custom-built by them, our Gravityte-fuel consumption is as low as possible. You'll never see that on any other ships.  
— Why do I have the impression that this idea of business blocking everything is a common problem here ?  
— Because it is Weiss. Most of the thing that could be sold but aren't is due to someone having less money doing so. But for this things, it's actually a good thing.  
— Beg your pardon ?  
— If they don't sell anything but pricey material with enormous margin, and with the fact they have no concurrent, all we have to do to undermine their economy is to sell them under the rug for a reasonable price. Not only do we make money out of it. But we're actually taking money from the council doing so. It's a win-win."  
Ruby, who stayed silent until then looked at the lab, and the peoples actually working here.  
"Caaaan we know what they're working on ?  
— Oooh most of the time, it's borring stuff. I think the order of the month is make more efficient way around Kilpium fields. And It appears to be a struggle. They're not getting far about it.  
— Well, I suppose It can't always work wonderfully.  
— Yeah, no shit."  
Moving from this part of the ship to another, they passed through all the more logistic aspect of the ship, mainly the fuel-tanks and engineers sections, that Yang couldn't show, as she herself couldn't enter them in normal circumstances. Until they reached a place making Ruby all giddy and jumping on her feet  
"WORKSHOP ! There is a workshop ! Does it have tools ? Can we enter ? Is it accessible ???"  
Yang laughed.  
"Well, look who's exited. You can't actually enter it right now, but as soon as your training will begin, it'll be open to you. All soldiers are taught to take care of their weapons. And the place is available twenty-four seven. Though for anything not involving weapon maintenance, you'll have to pay the bill yourself and supplies can take a while to arrive."  
It took a full hand in hand with Blake and calming talk for Blake to get Ruby out of her happy tremor.

They moved on, getting to the rest of the ship fairly quickly : training room, briefing rooms, the farms, the commissary boutique, just in case someone missed it, and finally, the dorms.  
Surprisingly, the military personnel wasn't separated from the civilian crew. They'd all bunk together. Sometimes in the same rooms.

"So, all the rooms are sized for two peoples, except for special teams, who are four peoples large. Which mean we're gonna sleep in two distinct rooms.  
— Wait, we? You're including yourself ?  
— Yup ! Turns out my room have a few holes in its plumbing, so I need a new one. And considering that we're gonna see a lot of each other in the next few weeks. The captain though a good idea to make me blend with you.  
— You… don't seem to agree.  
— Don't be hurt Princess. I'm just saddened to not have my own room is all… Oh. I've still to tell you guys one thing. It's not exactly good news so Blake, Ruby, Brace yourselves."  
The two of them shared a worried look.  
"The last instructor we had for you took off. She was a bit of an independent, and suddenly decided she needed a break from us.  
— Which means no fight for us ?  
— That's the thing. The cap decided, against my will, it was time for me to rank up. So I will be your instructor. I'm new to the job, so don't expect me to be perfect.  
— Suddenly, you bunking with us makes a lot more sense.  
— I know right ? I really was against this commanding thing. But I'll do my best. I just hope that the captain is right when she says I'm ready for that."  
Blake smiled.  
"Well if that's help, you took charge while we met, and none of us died or anything. It was pretty okay, even, considering the number of guards there."  
To that, Yang only rolled her eyes with a small smile.  
"Gee-thanks ! I'll be sure to keep the no-teamate-dying's streak up."   
She accompanied it with a small punch of her robotic arm on Blake's arm.  
"Soooo, I get Blake and Ruby would probably want to be together so that'll leave my with Weiss right ?  
— Actually, If Ruby's okay with that, I was thinking that being with someone else might help with her integration. I don't want her to stay to herself too much. And it's not like we were gonna be that far anyway..."  
Instead of protesting, Ruby simply pout at this, showing that while it didn't please her, she at least acknowledged the fact it was probably true. Yang took the occasion to speak.

"Well girls, here's what I think. Let's do things in level of skills. Since we three are gonna train together, there will probably be more comradeship if the most new to combat isn't paired with her instructor. So Blake with me and Weiss with Rube ? I can call you Rube right ?"  
Ruby just shrugged. A bit dejected to be separated of Blake, although she had tacitly agreed.  
"Yeah, sure…   
— Oh come'on Ruby, It'll be fine. I'll be literally a door away. And since Weiss is just a passenger you'll have more occasion to speak of casual stuff I guess ?"

Ruby just gave a long look to Blake before she simply pulled out the Tang to the Faunus.

"Welp ! Time to make you visit your new home. Or room as I seem to remember Weiss don't plan on staying.  
— I'm still weighing my options. But do you have any idea where I could go ?  
— Well… Not really. But it's something you will have to discuss with the cap once you're installed. She wants to meet you all."  
There was a dead stop in everyone as they turned to Yang.  
Weiss seemed frighten, if not terrified. Ruby uneasy, and Blake seemed mostly interrogative, and was the first one to go past the initial surprise.  
"What does she need with us exactly ?  
— Oh, nothing big. Just meet with you all, and discuss a bit. Don't worry about it. It's fairly standard from her, all new crew, long or short term have to meet her. First and foremost, so they know she's the cap and all that. You wouldn't want to disrespect her by accident. Actually you don't want to disrespect her at all. Believe me. But really, nothing to worry about today. I know've known her for a while now. She can be a bit abrasive, and a bit intimidating, but she's not ill willed. And she's smart enough to not judge books by the cover. Or peoples by their past."  
That last sentence was directed directly at Weiss. And the tone was firm enough to reassure Weiss, If only a bit.  
Opening the first door, Yang moved out-of-the-way making a small sign of her arms to invite them to enter.  
The room was rather small, yet spacey. That being due to the fact that most of the space was empty. With no bed or table visible.   
"The rooms are twenty-two meters of living surface. In the center of the room, you'll find a ground embedded table with its own benches, and the bumps on the walls are foldable bunks. It's solid stuff, I never saw any of these things break'till now."  
On your right, you can see the mini-kitchen in all its glory, with a micro-wave and electric heating plate."  
Nearing the door, Yang pressed a few buttons on a panel.  
"You have temperatures and holographic functions as well. Basically, you can make 3 and 2D Videos pop wherever you want. There is an internal Network for sharing films and stuff among the crew. With no password. The holographic functions are especially useful to make intimacy separations. It a main function of it."  
With a simple push of a button she showed them a small plan of the room, and with a simple swipe of her finger, linked two walls. Immediately the system reported it onto the room. A blurring wall cutting the room in half, and making basically impossible any kind of peeping.  
"It's easy to use.   
— Can we modify the software ?  
— It's not forbidden, but you'll have to get the commissary's check and green light for any mods. Oh! and of course, the consent of your roommate. In that case that would be me Blakey.  
— Got it."

After showing where all was, they finished the tour. Both of the free rooms were facing each other. Getting back in the corridors, Yang continues her explanations.  
"And the common showers are on the end of each corridors. You can't miss them. Sometimes, it'll be off for repair or maintenance. If it happens, you can just use the showers of another corridor. They are open at any hour. Anything you need we'll be sold by the commissary. At more than reasonable price. And if you don't find what you need, he'll get it to you.   
— Does he have a name ?  
— The commissary ? Yeah, it's Tucson. He's a nice guy… Sooooo Is there any questions about the ship ? Things I may have forgotten while I showed you around ?"  
Weiss pushed herself against a wall near the door they just exited from.  
"You didn't show us any bridge ?  
— The cap is there, We'll be going there to see her in a minute if I didn't forget anything else."  
There was a small silence. Everyone thinking about a place that could exist, and they may have missed.  
"Well, seems like I'm a good guide at least ! Onward to the bridge then ?" She received only a nod from the rest of the girls.  
The trip wasn't short. As the dormitories weren't exactly close to the bridge itself, which gave all of them several minutes to think.  
Ruby seemed to have been a bit put at ease with the discovery of the ship. It was in fact, fairly large, and was populated by many peoples. They didn't stop from encountering them. It was surprising as she had probably imagined a small ship with a small crew.   
Then the rooms and the overall quite comfy rooms had finished convincing her that this place probably wasn't a bad one to live in.  
Blake was more cool-headed. Until now, the place seemed to be nice. And most peoples hadn't been hostile or anything. The blond guy Ruby bumped into aside.  
The departure of the last instructor seemed to be more of a problem for Yang, but she was very aware that Yang problems could very easily become hers if things didn't work super smoothly. And so she too hoped the captain was right to give this kind of role to Yang.  
Weiss, was probably the most uncertain, as she felt a bit like an intruder. She was the daughter of one of richest and money-hungry man who ever lived. It wouldn't be surprising for the ship crew or even the captain to have hostility toward her and Weiss knew it perfectly well.  
However these thoughts were interrupted as a weird feeling crept onto Weiss's back. She swiftly turned around only to found no one behind her in the corridor. She shook her head. Was she hearing things ? She turned around, only to feel a look on her back anew. Annoyed she turned once again… She was sure she saw a movement around the corner.  
"Weiss, you're coming ?" Yang pressed her, seeing her falling behind. Weiss only Narrowed her eyes. She was certain someone observed her. And if not for Yang, and the fact she wouldn't dare to make the ship-captain wait, as it would be disrespectful, she would have marched right there to check it. Rolling her eyes one last time, she turned around again and followed the rest of her group.

 

***********

 

 

"Okay. We're about to enter the bridge. I'm gonna enter first to announce you. Once the door opens again, just enter the room. Alright ?  
— What are we to expect here ?  
— A welcome, maybe some questions about the Grav-ARMA gig, and how we escaped, maybe some more questions for you Weiss, that's about it. We all good ?"   
When she received a strong nod from everyone, Yang turned around, the door closing behind her.  
Yang walked straight to her mother. The woman had since their last conversation put away the glass and bottle and had let the personnel come back to their post. She was casually leaning against a wall and was watching as the peoples were doing their job, mostly in a relative calm. 

When she saw Yang, she pushed herself back straight and walked to meet her.  
"If you're here, I can only assume our guest are on the other side of the door.  
— Yuuuup~! I gave them a tour and showed them around their rooms.  
— Great. Make them enter, so we can get the formalities out of the way.  
— Yes cap."  
It was always weird to Yang to call Raven anything else than mom. Yet she understood the need of a clear separation between family stuff and commandment. Raven was a person who won her authority by charisma, fighting prowess and image. She had always showed a just and fair leadership, and Yang was sure to never get any special treatment from the woman. Which was fortunate, as none of the two wanted that. Yang didn't like the idea of being at advantage there only because of her blood relative. It would be humiliating. And It would very much make her disliked by peoples. Which was a second thing Yang didn't appreciate.

Pushing a button directly on her PDA, she opened the door a dozen of meters away.  
And the rest of the girls entered. Blake first, Weiss behind, and Ruby last.

Seeing Yang, and Raven, who had moved to the center of the bridge, they came toward them. Blake stopped at a distance she felt polite without being too distant. Weiss and Ruby stopped at the same distance. The ex-heiress at her left, and the red-head to her right.

"Well. It looks like Yang has brought a good amount of fresh blood. Although I read in the report that miss Belladonna here wasn't exactly new to the kind of job, apparently. I welcome you onboard the Nevermore. I'm Raven Branwen, the captain of this ship. And I'll be the end of the chain of command for you, if you decide to fight, as I've been told two of you will."  
There was a small nod from Blake that Ruby imitated. Raven eyes, like piercing through them scanned the three of them, stopping on Weiss.  
"Miss Schnee. I'm surprised to see someone like you here. I have read what Yang know already. But if you're okay with it. I'd like to know more about how you came to lose the title of heiress, and found yourself in this facility we found you to be in."  
Weiss took a formal step forward. Keeping both of her hands linked in front of her as she answered, with the upmost honesty.  
"I was driven out of the succession of the company by my little brother, Whitley Schnee, who revealed a bit too much about my activity outside of the work time to my father.  
— Activity ?  
— I spent a good amount of money helping the Faunus where I could, and I was friend with peoples who at least supported them… the simple fact that I was showing a different opinion than my father in something like that made him search for a way to cut me off the company.  
After that, all he needed was a pretext. Which my brother found easily when he stole and showed some… private files to my father. I was swiftly promised to a suitor and sent to an arranged marriage with the heir of Grav-ARMA. The union had to be sealed on Station 17-b. But I escaped before it happened.  
— I see…  
— I want known that I found despicable all the practice the company have performed since my father took the head of it… the SGC was never a perfect company, and already had little remorse from their policy before he arrived, but he pushed it to another level.  
— Well. I'm happy we can agree on something like this. But you have to understand that you're not someone I can easily drop off. I'm willing to let you go any time you want. But I cannot guaranty my colleges will feel the same when I tell your story. And I'm not willing to just leave you on your own anywhere, as I feel some people may exploit you when you're undefended. Do you have anywhere to go at all ?"   
Weiss shook her head.  
"I would if I knew what became of my sister when she left the company. But she went into complete hiding and I haven't heard from her since.  
— Mhmm… Another problem is the media. Yang did you mentioned that yet ?  
— Oh, no, sorry, I kind of forgot…  
— Forgot what exactly?"  
Raven looked at her a moment, choosing her words.  
"The media are attributing your disappearance to an abduction… By Yang.  
— Oh… I suppose my father is trying to protect the reputation of the family name. If the media were to say that I fled after shooting on several peoples, the image of the company would suffer greatly.   
— This poses further problems, as most stations seeing you will try to return you to your father, most likely…"  
Weiss frowned. She hadn't consider any of this as she didn't want to think about her family more than necessary. The simple fact that it was already making the headlines was strange. Weiss thought her father would try to smother the case, not make it public… It must have been… Oh. She looked up to Raven.  
"He wants to find me as fast as possible. This alliance with Grav-ARMA was lucrative. I'm making him lose a great deal of money by having fled." The captain nodded, visibly agreeing.  
"That's what I concluded too. Which means no official stations will be a good hiding place for you. You need a pirate ship. And since I'm not sure to be able to convince anyone to take you, we're kind of stuck.  
— Then… would you let me stay ?"  
Everyone turned to look at Weiss. As the surprise was unanimous.  
"You want to work on the ship ? I'm sure you could have some uses, but I can't waste men watching you. And the Schnee name have brought grief to a lot of people here. You might be picked on." Weiss shook her head.

"No. I have no desire to work hidden in the ship. I know how to shoot. And if I happen to be seen again and again helping pirate, the media will be forced to pick up on the situation. My father cannot hide something this big long if it comes up.  
— You want to hurt his reputation ?  
— I want to stop him, mostly from hurting my family. But also from hurting peoples in general. Although I may understand it could be hard to do. I'm willing to learn. And I'm willing to have to earn the thrust your crew will give me. My father is manipulative, and knows how to lie, but most importantly, he's narcissistic. Sickly so. He's the reason I have lost a sister already. And he is the reason Whitley turned against me. My mother was destroyed entirely by his fault. The scar I bear under my hair is his doing.  
He's destructive, unscrupulous, and he have no qualm to do whatever he need to get more money and control over peoples around him. It took me to lose the company to realize all that. And he doesn't even need the money ! I have seen my own personal account, I've seen his ! These numbers are way too big to ever be reinvested. Its… It's like a sort of addiction for him… for the board of the company too. It's like all is about money. I don't want my name, my family history, to be attached to that anymore. I wanted to take the company in another direction. But it is now impossible. So I'll have to make my name known another way. Here or somewhere else, and even if I have to start my own ship with my own crew."  
Raven bored face had slowly changed into interest, then amusement, to finally land onto a simple smirk when Weiss finally finished.  
"Well, I have no reason to refuse your help. Even more so as you seem to already have a fair bit of your own ideas in common with ours… I have to say I'm quite surprised Weiss Schnee. This isn't who I though I'd meet today. I guess even I can be stigmatizing if I don't watch myself. Let's see if this fervor of yours hold after your training, and against the most assured rudeness the crew might give you. Although I believe being with Yang will benefit you much in that regard."  
Weiss smiled proudly as it seemed Raven had no intention to refuse the help. She bowed slightly.  
"I won't let you down ma'am.  
— I hope so. Now, Miss Belladonna, being a friend of Ilia Amitola already brings you in a good look, as she always has been a reliable partner for the last few years. Which brings me the questions, Can I know what it is you were doing there when you met Yang and Weiss ?"  
Being now spoken to, Blake mimicked Weiss and brought herself forward, as Weiss herself took a step back.  
"I was gathering information for Ilia. It was the first gig I was doing for a really long while. And I thought at that time it would only be a one time thing. But I met Yang, and after we talked a bit, Ruby and me. We came to the conclusion we wanted in. After that, I called Yang who had already offered to take me off the place. You know the rest I'm sure.  
— Well, Yang stayed vague for your qualifications.  
— Oh. I'm competent in Cyber-locks, infiltration, physical or informatic alike, I know how to craft firearms like mine, basic squad tactics and boot camp, although I might be rusty, as I've been dormant for about three years now. Kept myself up to date with the informatic though."  
Raven gave a frank nod.  
"Oh yes, that I'm sure off. You manage to enter by a back door of a heavily defended facility, and the only reason you were overt was because you decided to help out Yang and Weiss present here. That and you managed to accomplish all your objectives without a hitch. Quite impressive Work really. I'm sure your reinstatement will be easy "

Blake found herself timidly smiling under her own accomplishment.  
"Well, I'm not exactly the only one to credit here… I had assistance to put the camera on a loop, and I was given a map of the place. Outdated, yes, but still useful. I'm sure Yang's result are mostly due to misinformation.  
— That, and the lack of recon." 

Yang wasn't smiling when she looked at her feet. Even thought, Raven carried on like it didn't matter, reporting her look onto her last guest.

"And so, we have you. Ruby Rose. Never've been in any active conflict. No fight at all. You are the person I'm the most interested in today, as I have almost no information of you."  
The attention was clearly unwelcome, as Ruby began to feel overtly nervous.   
"Well, hum, Miss, there isn't much to see at all in fact.  
— I know you worked all your life. Probably wasn't easy I guess… what did you work into ?  
— Mostly working on the chain. And moving crate from a place to another. I've done a bit of logistic.  
I also know my ways around vehicle pieces ? I had a lot of faulty pieces I managed to smuggle out of my workplace. I learned a lot from taking them apart. I can do almost any room maintenance. Hum… I'm not sure I could do vehicle maintenance, but I'm certainly more capable of being taught how than any other people ?  
— So a lot of leads to what you may learn, but not that much in the fields of things you know. That's quite alright, as we'll be glad to fill in the holes."  
Raven's attention shifted again, as she focused on them as a whole group.  
"Did Yang told you about processing ?  
— It's… like a sort of orientation, background check, and competences check right ? To see how we can help and in what way ?  
— You are correct miss Schnee, but it's more than that. The processing of new recruit is also a lot of choices for you to make. Our coalition cannot afford to lose any help. And if placed on a post where they're not happy, our recruits leave. So we do our best to accommodate the new peoples to roles that fit them. We have competent peoples all around the ship capable of teaching a few things, but we can't have actual peoples for about everything. So we use NVR. That's your first choice. We know there is a bit of controversy with how they could, programmed right, permit extraction of information you may not want other people to know, so all our implants are optional.   
I can guarantee ours are made to forbid any information extraction or insertion, but unless you're a crack in human-machine technology, I'm afraid you would not be able to check for yourself. That and Implants are undeniably things that touches to your physical being. I myself preferred to learn in the field than to use them. But the choice is up to you all."  
Weiss scoffed.  
"Well, I at least can already tell I wont be needing your implant.  
— So you're against them ?  
— No."   
Weiss turned, undoing her hair and lifting them for everyone to see.  
"I simply don't need an additional one to the one I already have."  
Raven took a small step back before jumping to sit on the nearby holotable.  
"An ex-heiress with NVR implants ? I don't think I would have guessed.  
— It was a gift from Klein, the family butler… and it was all done in the back of my father. It's how I was able to interact with outside peoples without my father knowing. And how I became supportive of the faunus.   
— I see. Do you know if it is safe ?  
— Yes. Klein was someone smart, and at that time, I was still the heiress of the SGC. It was imperative that no one could access any valuable information through it. It's highly secured. And unless I want it to be active, it cannot be. It turns on and off on cerebral command only.  
-Good. It's reassuring. Do any of you three have questions ? I cannot guaranty I will be able or willing to give an answer to all of them, but I'll answer what I can."

Everyone eyes each other for a while until Blake took upon her to ask a few of her own personal questions.  
"Well. Yang have been teasing us a bit now and then about the pay being decent, but we were never given any real numbers.  
— I see. Well, I guess she could not, seeing as she doesn't know the pay system that well to recite it by heart. The new recruits are paid eighty thousands per month, plus usual bonus for missions and eventual risks coming with it."

For a second, Raven let the information soak in. the three of them looking at what was basically almost a tenfold of their usual pay. Smiling as Even Weiss was surprised.

"However, you'll still have to pay for your food, weapons, water and electricity. The room is graciously offered with the package although it is lent, and not given. They must be given back in the same state as given. But did I mention almost every food on the ship is made onboard and cost about ten times less than anywhere else while being much more healthy ?"  
Finally, Weiss couldn't take it anymore, and the asked away the question nibbling her mind away.  
"How can you sustain any of this ??  
— Well, if you must know Miss Schnee, it is because the pirate coalition have margin laws that forbid capital gain above four time the cost of production, and the intermediary party cannot go higher than one. It's stops any price from skyrocketing. We have our own secondary business. Not only it gives us the ability to eat and equip ourselves at a much lower price, but it also permits us to undermine the economy if the council, as we sell to station civilians, but not to companies. It's actually kind of fun to hear on every official channels the economist tear their hairs off their heads trying to comprehend why the market is suddenly disappearing."  
Blake scoffed.  
"Moral, and aggressive. I like it.  
— Then there is the fact that most of our peoples are in for the better life more than the money. There is a donation system. And almost everyone uses it to an extend, so a lot of money comes back."

The door behind them all opened. And Raven, who was still facing it smiled.  
"Ah, Second Fall. Glad to see you on bridge.  
— Well, I was called, so here I am. How may I be of assistance ?  
— I'm sure you already knows, but you have processing to organize. However, Miss Schnee have decided she'll be helping as well. So you'll have to add it to the list you have no doubt already prepared."  
Cinder gave a smirk. The same that the three new girls had saw earlier. The same they would probably see a lot from now one.  
"That will be done. Although considering the lack of urgency, I may eat before that.  
— Right. I was so onto what to do next that I may have forgotten the hour. Yang ?  
— Yes ma'am ?  
— Why don't you take your new teammates and go to eat.  
— got it."  
Raven turned toward said teammates  
"I'm on the bridge as soon as my normal duty hours start, so seven to nineteen, usually with not that much to do. If you have questions during your week of processing, don't hesitate to come and ask."

And with that, she turned her back to them, making it clear that the conversation was over for now.   
Soon the door closed behind the group, and Raven was left with Cinder.  
"I'm surprised. Weiss Schnee volunteered to fight ?  
— Just as surprised as you Cin-, The kid have some fire. And apparently a good grudge against her father. That's a thing she have in common with the usual new recruits. Did you notice behind her hairs ?  
— The scar ? Yes, yes I did. She doesn't seem to hide it much. Enough to keep appearance, but not enough to stop people from seeing.  
— I was actually talking about her NVR implant, Cinder, but yeah, there's that too. You wanted something else ?  
— indeed. Our clever little mute brought some additional information about the enemy. I wanted for us to check that together.  
— I guess said information is outside with Emerald and Mercury. Am I wrong ?  
— Sharp as always. But what can I say ? They are perfect little assistants. Emerald in particular is very useful.  
— And enamored.  
— It's just a crush.  
— It's more than a crush Cinder. I saw crushes before. This ain't it. Sooner or later, she'll come out to you.  
— We'll see."

 

 

**********

 

Once they were out, everyone naturally followed Yang. They were brought to a small room, not much more than a dozen of meters large for twice as long. It wasn't very much populated.

"Most peoples eat in their room the night. This place is kinda reserved for when you want to eat with more than four or five people and the rooms are getting too small oh and at noon it's very full. It's the only room with a decent, real, kitchen. I don't cook that much myself, but a friend of mine have a knack for it. You'll meet him sooner or later, if you're here to stay. Actually being on a ship like this one makes you know everyone after a while.  
— How many peoples onboard ?  
— I don't have the actual numbers, but we're about three hundreds if you count the civilians on board.   
— And in terms of personnel ?  
— About two-thirds of the total ? I think ?"

Yang lead them to a corner of the room, where stood a vending machine.  
"This, is the pinnacle of the ship fast-eating-because-I-am-busy vending machine. It's stuffed by the civilian, mainly with things from the Nevermore. It's very filling, so don't abuse it, or you'll get fat."

As Weiss was getting near to consider her options, Ruby remembered the rest of food bought on the station. Fortunately, Blake had thought of it and kept her small bag with it inside. So they didn't need anything themselves.  
After a while, Weiss left out a confused annoyed noise.

" A problem Princess ?  
— No, I just don't know what to take. Half of these I don't know what they are !  
— Oh, let me take a look. For a newcomer like you, still used to the industrial taste, I'd advise to go with the sandwiches, as they tend to have similar tastes. Oh ! Like this one ! 'seasonless crudity with in-vitro ham' definitely a good take. I'm surprised there is still some at this hours in fact, they tend to get all eaten first."  
Weiss shrugged as she selected the product and gave the machine a swipe with a Council credit card. It was debited exactly as usual, and the food fell into the small box on the bottom of the machine, that soon opened delivering it to the white haired girl."

Yang took her own food fairly more quickly before joining the rest of them on a table.  
Weiss opening her food looked at what seemed like a normal sandwich, except maybe for the fact that it was less conform, as industrial one all had the same exact look. One bite was all it took for her to know Yang had given her good advice.   
This was incredibly nice. The bread was definitely fresh, as the exterior was still crispy with a tender crumbs, the crudity in itself was good, but it was the variety of it that made it even better. Weiss have been able to identify only four so far, being salad, eggplant, cabbage and onions. There was more Weiss didn't know about, but it was all delicious nonetheless, and they were accompanied by a ham she would have sworn was from actual pork since it was so good, all mixed together with a nice mustard sauce… Weiss thought there was maybe cream with it ? She couldn't tell, but whatever it was, it made for a great sandwich overall.

So much in fact that all commentary Weiss could have made were forgotten in favor of taking more bits out of this incredible meal.

 

**********

 

The girl was almost running in the corridor, as she swiftly took a turn. She was jumping from one leg to another when the door of her room opened.  
She pressed herself into it, only to be welcomed by the inquisitive and expecting look of her partner in crime.  
"Soooo ?  
— She's here ! She's actually here, I can't believe it ! Weiss Schnee in person is onboard !  
— Oh Shit, so it's true… What is she doing ? What's going on ?  
— Last I saw she was eating with Yang Xiao Long and Two other recruits. I think she's gonna stay ! What do we do ?!"   
The Woman smiled a wicked smile as she flicked her glass on.  
— Well, I see only one course of action. Here's what's we're gonna do…"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Nope ! I'm not done with Ilia ! I still have things to do with her.  
> Pyrrah's dead ! Yup. there is things that the Canon did well after all. the suffuring of Pyrrah's death was one of them, and I fully intend to have my own version as you can see.  
> I'm happy with this chapter, but it is more setup than event or resolution. so not so much in the awesomeness departement.  
> But we'll get there, no worry.
> 
> And who are our two little spies ? Well, you'll see.  
> I have great plans for Weiss. Greaaaaat plans.
> 
> Hopes you like it ! comment and Kudos if you did, as it really helps the visibility of my story for other to enjoy it too !
> 
> My Discord link is in my profile if you want to talk to me more often ^^ We're not numerous, but I answer for any message, here or on discord. And I share some plans and visual help of this story on the discord ! go check it out !  
> With the hope of being messaged soon, as I love to discuss with any of you, no matter the platform !  
> Toodle !


	7. NVR and friends

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ruby wakes up after her nanite surgery, with a pristine new toy.

As Ruby felt hands on the back of her head she tried to move. Only to find that her skull and neck seemed to both refuse any command. In fact, not a muscle in her entire body seemed to move a millimeter except for her breathing.  
She felt a soothing hand on her shoulder.

"You should be awake now, I know not being able to move a muscle can feel quite scary. This is perfectly normal and should subdue in a moment."  
Yang 's voice was calm, and comported a touch of sensitivity Ruby attributed to the fact that the young pirate had been where she was right now.

True to yang's word, Ruby felt less like a statue already, she tried to pry her eyes open, and at first, failed miserably. But the more she tried, she more she felt the eyelids trying. Minuscule muscles Ruby had no idea even existed before where slowly contracting more and more strongly, until finally, the strength they were giving went above the resistance of friction against her eyes.   
Her eyes opened fully. And just like that, her entire nervous system sprung back to life.  
She blinked twice and instinctively passed her hand at the back of her head, where was now sitting her newest piece of equipment.  
It was both excruciating and incredible to know she had an implant five centimeters into her brain. 

In the last few days, She had been given quite the time to read about it, and this piece of equipment was simply incredible.

The implant was able to simulate entire environment using the brain as a processor, until a certain point. But could also be connected directly into other hardware via a port at the back of her head.   
The support HUDs that were installable, and the sheer applications of the device itself had made Ruby giddy and scared at the same time. This device permitted to live anything you ever wanted, as long as someone had already made it, but also permitted any users to create their own environments. 

Ruby's train of thought was stopped by Yang, gesturing her to get out as she politely opened the door for her.  
"The doc's still reviewing your nanite implantation session in order to spot any problems, let's join her.  
— Right."

Sure enough, on the other side of the door, the wolf faunus was indeed in her chair, eyes glued on a screen, checking numbers of logs and small messages. Yang giving a warm smile, took her cue to leave the cabinet, leaving Ruby in the good hands of the doctor.

"Oh, you're up. Good. I'll finish this later, I think you're clear for now. So ! Miss rose, how are we feeling now ?  
— Well, kinda the same than before… is this supposed to feel different ?  
— No. in fact, this is quite a good sign after this kind of implantation to not feel any differences. Means your brain and body took the trauma the good way.  
— Trauma ?  
— well, to make room to accommodate the port of the implant, we removed about 2 centimeters deep of skull in a surface of one centimeter by two. Most peoples don't feel that good after mechanic grafting directly into their nervous system. Miss belladonna had mild head aches and was quite nervous.   
— is that dangerous ?  
— Hardly. However, if you have any bleeding from the implant zone, the nose, if you have any ringing ears, or weird sensations, come back to see me. There is few chances the implant can actually be harmful, but it might require some tweaking. Also…"  
The doctor put her sentence on hold as she opened a drawer nearby and grabbed a hand-full of small plastic pieces.

"… Be sure to use these when you are showering, these are NVR plugs, and will seal it so you don't insert water in the port. You could damage it or infect it, which can become quite nasty if not thread with carefully.  
— Okay.  
— Are you ready to activate it now ? Miss Rose ?  
— I'll be glad to ! I'm so exited to finally try it.  
— We get that a lot with the implantation process. Please sit in the chair behind me and we'll begin a test run."

Doing as told, Ruby sat in what seemed like a specifically made chair. Devoted to NVR. As soon as she was into the seat, she let her head lay against the back support, where it was fitting perfectly in an alcove made specifically for it.

"Okay, miss rose, try not to move too much. This can be a bit uncomfortable at first. But you'll get used to it.  
— Actually I don't feel any-GAH ! What was that ?!  
— That, was the pin entering your NVR port from the chair. You literally have a metal rod three centimeters long linking you to it. You shouldn't be able to move normally. Can you ?"

Ruby tried turning her head. And felt no movement whatsoever.  
"Nope.  
— Good. I'm gonna give you some basic information, you'll discover the rest on your own or by questioning miss Xiao long. The NVR implant have two mods, three if you count idle.  
The first being 'main' which create a full environment for you to live through, the other being 'support' which is basically a personal data and informatics support, in the form of a HUD.  
Almost everything is parametrable. And from now on, it'll be your main tool for a lot of things. So keep it well. As a security measure, no one, not even me, can trigger anything via your implants. All commands are to come from your brain only. The only thing the implant can do is treat information and create data from them. The only exception is the triggering sequence.  
— The what ?  
— It's really simple you'll see. The triggering sequence is a list of very basic command that I can give to the implants. It will make you feel small impulsion. These are necessary for you to learn how to trigger the NVR menus.  
— Oooooh It's like a muscle I need to discover ?  
— That… is a good analogy, yes. I'm launching a sequence now." 

As the doctor pushed a button on her holographic key board. Ruby closed her eyes trying to focus on this 'impulsion' she was supposed to feel. It was weird. Like someone poking a specific place of your brain while you were conscious.   
This repeating pressure at the edge of her mind, Ruby gave it all her attention. Focusing more and more on it. There was something really akin to a new muscle to discover here. Like these tiny one in your feet and hand you learned of only when they cramp.  
Finally, she pressed on more and more on this specific sensation and something, to a lack of better term, unlocked.

Her eyes gleamed in the light as she looked straight to the doctor with a mix of proudness and awe.

"I DID it ! It's working !  
— Wow, so soon ? Good job ! It usually takes some times for it to trigger.  
— how long ?  
— About three hours. Your integration must have been really successful. Fifteen minutes and your brain already admit the implant as a sheer extension of itself. This is quite the record. In fact, I think only one person was faster than that.  
— Who was it ?  
— Can't say, medical secrecy."

Ruby pouted, as her curiosity remained unsated.

"Meanie.  
— Just doing my work. Allllright ! Triggering sequence is turned off. What do you see ?  
— Well just a plain menu for now, with some options. Do I have to touch the buttons orrr …  
— Well you CAN, but that is not necessary remember that this is a computer connected directly to your brain, and powered by your brain. All you have to do is want something and it'll will give it to you if you can picture it well enough.  
— wow. Wait, how come It just stayed this long on the basic menu then, or why is there a basic menu in the first place ?  
— Easy. Could you remember every three hundred parameters of a program by head ?  
— No.  
— This is why there is a menu. Unless you want to change something specific, the menu is going to help you figure out what you can and cannot change. Also it keeps the programming organised. Speaking of it, the implants cannot accept any NVR application that hasn't been key code checked. To be sure you can never install anything putting yourself, or the coalition in danger.  
We have almost all the programs you'll need already validated since a R&D team is dedicated specifically to make this process go fast, but homemade programs must be submitted first so the geeks can do some test.  
— Lose programs could be harmful ?  
— Hell yeah ! With the right implants, some of theses programs can steal information, insert false memories, or even fry your brain on the spot. Ours aren't that dangerous, but you never know. This procedure is a protection for you as much as us."

With the push of another key, the weird sensation of something getting out of her skull, and a mechanic click, the chair unlocked from Ruby's NVR port, and she was able to move and get up.

"Last minute advice : your imagination is the only limit in the things you can try to create with this thing, keyword being TRY. Your brain is not a super calculator. If you Abuse, or do excessive creations, peoples interacting without any hardware support for example, which basically a hub where you'd connect directly, the NVR system can give mild to severe headaches, cause attention deficiency, bleeding noses, consciousness loss and a plethora of secondary effect going from annoying to concerning. It cannot downright kill you, but I have seen some morons getting into some minor coma, so be careful. And know that the NVR comes with a resource management tab that you can use to monitor how much your brain is working.  
— Got it.  
— Another thing : remember that this Is your brain doing most of the work, the implant is just here to organize it all into something useful. This means you'll need a proper alimentation. There is a reason why the human brain isn't more active than it is naturally : it takes food. A LOT of it. Be sure to eat properly, and don't strain yourself too much. You'll need some sleep as well. Oh, and intensive usage of NVR is not recommended in environment where oxygen is below standard. Intensive NVR in low oxygen environment will fasten your oxygen consumption and you risk brain damage by asphyxiation.  
— Oh.   
— Yeah, don't sweat it thought. Most of what I told you about, there is warning all over your face if you ignore the rules, and it's a challenge in itself to remove these warnings. Some jackasses do it anyway, but as long as you pay attention to what the hardware is telling you, you'll be fine. You can join the rest of the girls outside now.  
— Okay, thanks again ma'am.  
— Oh please, call me Miss brandbryt, or Emma. I'm no superior of anyone. And I'd like it to stay just like that.  
— Okay. Then thanks again miss brandbryt."  
And with that, Ruby took the door, and turned her head on the left, finding Yang, Weiss, and Blake, waiting for here. Immediately, the default hub pulled some information out.

"Wait, wait, Blake, your middle name is Maria ??!!!"  
Immediately, the concerned look on Blake shifted for annoyed.  
"Urgh ! This is why I don't tell anyone !" Beside her Weiss smiled, mildly amused, as Yang snickered without any shame.  
Apparently Yang had made the exact same commentary as soon as Blake had gotten out of the infirmary with the full crew designation which came with the NVR. Ruby, deciding to put some oil on this fire, took it upon herself to say it in its full length.  
"Blake Maria Belladonna. WOW, this sounds weird to say."  
Instead of getting more annoyed, Blake chose to fumble under her breath, glaring at anyone. To which Weiss tried to console her a bit.  
"Oh come on Blake, it's not that bad. Look at me, my full name is Weiss Elisabeth Jackie Schnee. I'd be terribly happy with a middle name like yours. At least you have only one, and it's a decent name. Elisabeth sounds really, ancient, it's one of the oldest name there is, and Jackie makes me sounds like some kind of prostitute. It couldn't be worse !  
— It could actually. When I was still working on station 17b, I had a friend whose's first name was genufrid. Go top that."  
Everyone in the room threw a horrified look at Blake. After a while of group cringe, Yang punctuated.  
"Some peoples shouldn't be allowed to name their children."  
And after one final snicker, the tree teammates of Ruby got up.  
"So rube ! How's the implant ?  
— Well, the doc said I activated it on record time. And that I seem to accept it pretty well.  
— Lucky you. It took me months to be able to.  
— Wow, months ?!   
— Yeah, turns out I'm one of the few candidates for implantation that had some complications after they installed the implant. And one of the worst body, in term of compatibility with neural grafting. I had tons of side effects. Most where mild, but it carried on for days and days. My arm was the same. And it was horrible."   
Blake couldn't help but mumble.  
"Well, that must have been fun, because this headache is already killing me. And I only got it since about two hours.  
— Yeah. I was a bit cranky theses few months. Now, I know the first four days you've spent here were a bit umm, tedious. I was reported by the doc this morning that all of your psych profiles have come clean, no child murderer amongst you girls. Also, beside the small injuries left from our last 'field operation' you're all in good health. Actually, the doc wanted me to pass congratulations, you even have uniform muscle development. This is quite rare in a world where industry can make you bent twelves hours out of twenty-four in the exact same position. Thought I guess it makes sense for you Weiss.  
— Well working out a bit was probably the only thing my father ever made me do that I didn't despise or suffered in silence… so I indulged."

With a clicking of tong, Yang smiled and carried on.  
"But rest assured everybody, these four last days are behind you. And now that everyone have their implants, the fun begins. Blakey, since yours have still yet to trigger, we'll hold on VR for now. But we do have a range, physical one, that will do just fine for all of you to discover the joy of guns designing. Which so happen to be a good thing, because I definitely need to make my arm checked up.  
— Is there a problem with it ?  
— Yeah rube. It's kinda acting up. Some times I have nerve impulse lag. Basically that means that I order my arm to do a thing and it does it with a delay. And some other times, it just stops responding entirely. Also the gun seems to have trouble popping out since Grav-Arma.  
— Can I get to look at it real quick ?"  
Yang corked an eye, but didn't hesitate to activate the separation of her member, quite literally giving it to Ruby.  
"Why is that interesting you ?  
— I've been playing around with prosthetic before. I'm no expert, but I know a thing or two."

Popping out one of the armor panel, Ruby struggled a few seconds before managing to get the arm to unfold all its internal mechanic. The piece of tech quite literally sprung open into about twenty parts all linked to the metal articulation in the center of the arm.

Ruby immediately had eyes round as plates.  
"WHAT THE ?! YANG ! When was the last time you've got this thing checked out ?!!!  
— About… Two years ago ?"  
The tone of Yang was hesitating, which indicated that it could have been much longer.  
"TWO YEARS ?! This thing needs to be checked monthly YANG !  
— Yikes. You said that like it was about to break apart.  
— You have no idea of the hazard your arm is right now ! The bone structure of the arm is bent Yang ! BENT !  
— Oh come on it's not that bad. It's not exactly straight yeah, but how's that dangerous ?  
— Yang, this kind of tech is a precise tool, and yours have a freaking plasma weapon included into it ! One misfire and the entire arm could have melted in its own plasma in the middle of the field !  
— Oh… that's bad.  
— And what kind of inhuman strength do you put onto that thing ?! The main bone should not be bent like that.  
— I use the projector module to punch things. Often doors on my way."  
Ruby's head snapped from the arm to Yang, clear anger and horror on it.  
"YOU WHAT ?!  
— It's how it's used no ?  
— For peoples ! With armor eventually ! But not on bolted, possibly heavily protected metal doors ! No wonder your arm is misbehaving ! Next time you would have punched anything with it, it would likely have snapped in two, and all the components would have flown in all direction. AND with a bit of bad luck, you would have had a cartridge of Plasma into it, that would have ruptured and covered you in molten plasma and metal.  
— Double yikes. But this use saved me multiple times. Sooo… Is it fixable ?"  
There was a pause in Ruby anger as she considered the question.  
"Again, no expert here, but I know enough to say the Main bone needs to be changed. You'll probably have some adjustments to make. And this things needs to be cleaned ! There is organic matter EVERYWHERE. Dust, traces of blood, water, food. This thing's internal working is FILTHY.  
— Gee, I got it Rube. Don't go all Raven on me please. This is fine. I'll get it fixed. It's all in the workshop anyway, and it's where we are going. Soooo.  
— This isn't just a problem of fixing it Yang. You need to care for it ! This arm is a piece of tech of really good quality. It's your arm ! Treat it with respect, or it'll fail you when you need it the most !"

On the side, Blake and Weiss talked on low volume, clearly amused by the scene unfolding upon their eyes…  
"Oh my god Ruby is berating her…  
— Is this normal ? Did she berate you on the station before ?  
— No… She never did… Oh, god now Yang look like a child surprised doing something bad.  
— How is Ruby doing that ? She was so bubbly and air headed the last days, and now, you could think she an ultra-responsible adult scolding a child.  
— She teeeends to love mechanic and this kind of tech thought, so mistreating it seems like a logical reason for her to yell…"

Both were holding back some serious smiles. Until Weiss felt it again. She turned sharp only to see a pair of rabbit ears, popping out from around the corner. Quickly hiding.  
Now she had proofs ! Blake tried to call her back when she saw Weiss suddenly getting away, fuming toward the corner. Her walk was the clear angered walk Weiss had showed she was capable of going for the past few days.

As she turned. Sharp, the ex-heiress faced a nice, if looking terrified, rabbit faunus. She had light brown hair and eyes of a darker shade of the same color. She was almost totally backed against the small wall of the dead-end from which she had been observing Weiss the past few minutes.  
Weiss glared at her. She would have given some snappy and sharp comments and demands of explanation if the girl hadn't panicked and began to stutter on the spot.  
"Ah ! Hum, sorry, I mean, uuuh, can I … help you ?  
— Can you help me ??? CAN YOU ?!   
— I'm… Ummm SORRY !"

Weiss didn't give a shit about this girl being sorry. She wanted to know WHY on the god-damn universe she was being spied on since day one on this ship.   
However, there was something odd here. Weiss had never seen this girl, but the voice was really strange. Familiar. Where could she have heard it before ? Something in the meek and frail attitude of the girl gave Weiss such a case of Déjà vu, that put her in a state of uneasiness.

"Did… Do I know you ?  
—I don't think you do… hum, Can I go ?  
—Go ? Really ? You think I'm going to let you bail after you followed and spied on me for at least four days ??  
—M… Maybe ?  
—NOT ! I AM NOT ! I want an explanation !"

The faunus flinched at the strong tone of the woman  
"Please, I was just curious…  
— you look strangely afraid for someone who is just curious… what do you want ?! Why can't I just enjoy peace and acclimate to this new life of mine without your shadow everywhere I go ? I even felt watched in the shower yesterday !"  
Truth to be told, it wasn't that big of a deal, as the showers were equipped with a holographic steam that pretty much covered anything, no matter the amount of clothing, but still !  
The girl began to fidget, clearly uneasy. And the way she did just felt so familiar. Had she been a servant at Weiss's home ? No, it couldn't be, Weiss's father would never had allowed a faunus in the staff. And the girls ears where hardly hidable. But then were ? Maybe an actress resembling her ? The ears didn't ring any bell for Weiss… but the face…  
Then, somehow, it clicked. Bunny, she was facing a bunny with a familiar voice.

"… No way… VelvetBunny ?"  
There was a pause is the terror of the girl. Her eyes grew a bit less scared as she lifted a small hand. Giving a weak and embarrassed smile. She was slowly becoming redder and redder.  
— H-Hey Weiss ? Long time no see ?"

There wasn't even a second given to the girl to dodge the white girl who jumped at her neck, with a cry of joy. Tackling a old NVR friend. Both of them fell on the ground, although quite softly.  
"OH MY GOD VELVET ! I MISSED YOU SO MUCH !"  
Said young girl was dumbstruck, as was Blake, Ruby and Yang, that upon hearing the heiress shout had come to see what was up.  
Finally, reciprocating the hug given by Weiss, the rabbit faunus nudged her head onto Weiss's shoulder.  
"I… I missed you too… But we're kinda laying in the middle of a corridor. And I think the rest of your group is puzzled.  
-Oh ! Right !"  
With a swift roll on the side, Weiss got up and gave a hand to the rabbit faunus. Before dusting both of their cloths.  
"Velvet what are you doing here ?! I mean, not that I'm not pleased, but…   
— Yeaaah, We kind of been here since we know you Weiss.  
— Wait, wait. WE ?! Is Star here ?  
— She is. But, considering we now are seeing each other physically, I'd say you can call her Coco now.   
— That's a pretty name.  
— I keep telling her that ! She just cannot accept her name is lovely."

Yang chose this precise moment to intervene.  
"So guys, this is nice and all but, an explanation please ? What the heck is this all about ?  
— Yang, Blake, you remember when I talked about meeting the right peoples at the right time and how it saved me from being the rich insufferable kid ? Velvet here… uh, actually, what is your…  
— It is Velvet. It always missleads peoples that it is in my pseud, but I'm actually called velvet.  
— Thanks. So umm, Velvet here is one of them. The other being St… Coco, that we were talking about. We've been talking and interacting a lot in NVR together since at least four years… thought we lost contact the last few weeks."

Yang looked at Velvet with stern eyes.  
"Outside transmissions ?  
— It was only in official stations where we had a legitimate connection to the solar system's network. No rule infringement here.  
— Right. So, uh, Velvet, I saw you before… Your… from CFVY ? Right ?  
— Yes.   
— Well, Velvet, good thing that I got you there then, can you tell your captain that I was actually interested into joined training for piloting simulation in a dozen of days ?   
— I'll tell her, Yes."  
As soon as the formal exchange was finished, she turned back to Weiss.  
"When we heard you were here, we were so happy ! Yang's rumor about being involved with you sounded like a story made in a bar… We didn't give them much ear until we learned you were on board.  
— But then why not come and say hi ?! Why did you have to watch me from every corner like some kind of stalker ?  
— Well. Actually, Coco wanted to surprise you… But I just couldn't help but want to see how you were when you're not online. And apparently, I'm not that great for being discreet…  
— That's an understatement. I've been feeling I was watched since freaking day one. However, you actually didn't answer my question earlier : what are you doing here ?  
— Well, same as you now. We decided to join a cause that actually care for us. As an earthling, Coco was always treated like dirt, and well, with my ears, it's not hard to imagine how peoples treated me. Finding any work was hard. Pays were always lower than the average for us, and rent always higher. At some point I was ready to sign off for works no one would recommend. Coco was my first… Client, and by chance she was also the last. We ended up talking more than doing. And she finally mentioned that she had been given the name of a ship ready to leave that could take us. That was the nevermore. Since, we learned how to fight and specialized. Team CFVY being one of the squadron of fighters of the Nevermore."

"And one of the best." Yang precised. "Which is why I intend to have their captain explain the basics to you all.

Blake was very surprised.  
"We're gonna pilot ship ?   
— Well, in normal circumstances, probably not. But emergency might requires some of you to be able to pilot, it is important that you at least know how move around. For example, If Weiss and you had been able to pilot in Grav-Arma, our escape would have been easier. As for training, we work in NVR, so we can basically put you right on a seat and see how you fare.  
— the way you say that makes me think the first sessions might consist of us dying repetitively.  
— You said it, not me, Weissy!"

 

Weiss could only roll her eyes in exasperation. Velvet still hugging her from the side.  
This didn't fail to arise the attention of the rest of the new team, that was still name pending.  
In four days of cohabitation, Ruby had concluded that Weiss wasn't that big on physical contact, yet she didn't even seem to bat an eye to Velvet's hugs. More so, Weiss was actually hugging back with one of her arm ! This seemed strangely out of character for her.

"Well, sorry to bust out the reunion Princess, but our day isn't done. We have some work to do.  
— Right. Velvet ? Are you and Coco available tonight ? I might want to catch up, and clear what happened to me exactly since we last talked.  
— Of course! We always have time for you Weiss. Be at the common cafeteria at twenty ?  
— I will."  
With an affectionate last squeeze in the hug, Weiss separated from her friend, with a last smile. And set her sight onto Yang.  
— Which way again ?  
— Oh, right. This way everyone. Let's see what we can make out of you newbies."

 

**********

 

"Ruby…"  
The voice was disapproving, which made the girl look up to Weiss, who was deadpanning her quite strongly.  
"Yeah ?  
— This sniper is at least one time and a half your size… don't you think this is a bit over the top ?  
— yeah, you see, that's the thing Weiss. I tried the smaller guns earlier, but they ALL have insane recoil.  
— And you think a heavy-impact ultra customizable Sniper Rifle is gonna be better ?  
— It's heavier ! Which means it has more inertia.   
— It's also stronger, which means in the end it's still pushing harder.  
— Yeah, okay ! Fine ! But you forget I have worked in the hardlight industry before !  
— You did ? Without a formation ? That's very rare !  
— I have my ways. I was formed in the work and I know how to set up a thing or two. I think I could create a hardlight module to transform this weapon into a freaking scythe ! Without any maniability impediment !  
— That… Is both insane and incredible. Thought you do realize that a size this large will often be unusable ? We're in space Ruby. You won't have the room for a scythe.  
— True, but that's just it ! With a hard light system that switch from scythe to spear, or turns it off completely, I think I could turn this into an advantage. Try to dodge a spear in the middle of a corridor ! Also, using a large weapon doesn't mean I cannot bring a smaller one with me, just in case.  
— I… that is a good point actually."

Since they had reached the range located in the workshop, the girls had been working in Duo. Blake and Yang talking about what they could do to modernize a bit Gambol shroud, as Weiss and Ruby tried to choose weapons of their own.  
Weiss could now definitely see what Blake meant when she said Ruby had a knack for mechanic. They where here since less than an hour and the brunette was already talking about tinkering to no end.

A bit further, Yang and Blake were still talking when someone entered the room.  
He had silver hairs and his fully displayed Prosthetic legs shined. Yang interrupted herself as she turned to greet him.  
"Hey ! Mercury ! Glad you're here ! I needed your services." The man turned with a snarky smile toward the blond.  
"Oh yeah ? That's quite rare. Heard by Cin that you where finally appointed captain ?  
— Don't talk to me about it, I'm still freaking out and it's been four days. Meet the new team ! I don't have any name for it yet, but it's okay. I've still got a few days to submit it right ?  
— Annnnd this right there is why you always annoy the second, Yang. Always doing paper work at the last minute.  
— Like you'd be one to talk." She retorted with a smirk.

Sitting in one of the few chairs in the room, the guy grabbed a tool and began undoing a metal plate on his leg.  
"So, what can I do for Ya ?  
— One of my new teammate passed almost an hour to berate me for not taking care of my arm. And-  
— She's right.  
— Oh come on ! You don't even have taken a look at it yet !  
— No need. I saw how you use it more than once, and you literally NEVER come here, unless you want so new toys. My legs start acting up two weeks after the last inspection. Off course yours is wrecked."

He didn't even bat an eye as he said it, taking his time to unscrew the internal panel that was hidden behind the plating removed earlier.

"Soooo ? You'll take a look at it ?  
— Sure. Let me just fix a thing with my legs real quick.  
— What's wrong with them ?  
— Nothing much. Just a goddamn cable that cannot stay connected more than three days. I swear I'm gonna weld it in place with the goddamn screw and call it a day, It's been doing that for two months.  
— If so, how come your leg still moves ?  
— It's the cable for precision movements.  
— Oh.  
— Yeah… sure isn't handy when I'm sparring with Emm'. I almost broke her jaw earlier today. She's gonna bitch about that for weeks.  
— Yikes.  
— There, done. Now unplug your arm, so I can take a crack."

As she did, a low tud-sound followed the pneumatic emptying so she could detach the arm from its connection point. And she handed it to Mercury.

"Oh my god what do you do with this thing ? Eat off it ?  
— Guess I should learn to clean it better huh.  
— No shit Sherlock. How is this thing still working at all ? Everything is out of place there…"  
He opened the arm the very same way Ruby had done earlier.  
"Holy shit Yang, this thing is BENT ?! How the heck did you BENT Titanium.50 ???  
— Punching things ?  
— You're a moron. Oh fuck.  
— What now ?  
— See, that block here, that WAS straight at some point ?  
— What about it ?  
— That's the battery you dumbass. In this state, it's a fire hazard. Needs to be changed. The main bone too. All the screw and clips as well. Most of them will be bitches to undo with how much everything bent in there.  
— Is it gonna by expensive ?  
— Well depends. I could make you a new bone with the old by melting it into it's pristine part. But you'll bend it again soon. Instead, I could cast you a new one with a stronger alloy and some reinforcements. But it's gonna cost ya. Also, this is less important, but I can't help but notice the plating is scorched all over. You might want that fixed too.   
— Good point. How many total with the new alloy?  
— At least Sixty thousands. No, more like eighty, Forgot to take the batteries into account. Could be more.  
— Do it please.   
— Kay. I will. Also I just transmitted a manual to your NVR interface. Please, Yang, Go read the MAINTENANCE section.  
— Oh fine.  
— Hey ! It's your funerals if the thing break in the middle of a fight !  
— Thanks mercury. How's the bitch ?  
— Moody. As usual. Why do you care thought ?  
— Well the fact I don't like her do not mean I wish Cinder anything bad. Besides, you guys like her, and don't exactly hate you two.  
— Pff ! More like without us you'd be between your room and missions all the time ! Yet I don't recall you ever asking about her except… is this about a booty call ?  
—No. Maybe.  
— Hey, I'm not gonna complain, she's generally less a bitch than usual when you two get a night. Please date her so it's a regular thing.  
— Eww. Eww eww. Not in this life, not in the next."  
Mercury looked at her like a strange animal before getting back to looking the arm.  
"I still don't get how you do it.  
— Do what ?  
— Lay Cinder when you both hate each other.  
— Dunno. It just happens. I guess in a way, hatesex is fun, and since Cin haven't asked me to stop yet, She must get something out of it too.  
— I guess.  
— When will I have the arm back Merc ?  
— Probably tomorrow if I'm not too busy with my own leg. And don't call me that.   
— Sure thing, dude. Well, I gotta go back to the team.   
— Keep up the good work.  
— You too. Especially with my big member.  
— Please don't phrase it like that."

Separating from Mercury, Yang decided it was more than time to check up with the two less experienced of the bunch.

"Soooo Weiss, Ruby, where we at ?" Both of the girls turned, Ruby smiling as Weiss talked with confidence.

"We have some ideas. Ruby being a bit more over the top than I'd be, but nothing unreasonable.  
— I am NOT."  
The youngest of them crossed her arms, pouting strongly.  
"Okay, I'll bite, over the top how ?  
— Well Ruby thinks about something like this weapon… But with a hardlight system for melee fixed on it.  
— How is it over the top ?  
— Spear and Scythe mods.  
— Oh."  
There was a snort. Followed by the immediate grunt of frustration from Ruby.

"It's not that bad ! And it covers a bit of every range. Long, middle and close.  
— wait, what cover middle range ?  
— Well since I need to be reactive if surprised unguarded, I thought about a fallback plan : Theses two babies."  
Ruby designated two very small submachine guns on the table. Standard models. these ones of courses, where demilitarized since they were only in the workshop for example.

"AK-bees ? Damn, actually, this mix COULD work well. I guess we'll have to test it out. That's a lot of metal to move around though, are you sure you'll be able to carry 30 kilograms of equipment plus an eventual armor without flinching ? Also a sniper like this one is expensive, as are the ammo needed to fire it.  
— That's an investment I'm ready to make. As for the weight, I was thinking about taking something for my mobility too. So I'll make it work.  
— What about you Weissy ? Thought about a weapon for yourself ?  
— Well not really. But that's only because I already have a fair idea of what I actually want.  
— Do tell.  
— The only activity I ever physically did that my father forced me to do and that I actually enjoyed was fencing. So of course it'll be a rapier. But since adding any firing system would desequilibrate it, I'm kind of stuck for distance work… I was thinking maybe Rapier in one hand and gun in the other ? Still, not sure about that."

Yang frowned thinking. On one hand, it could be short enough for places with few spaces, and useful enough even in the larger ones. Weiss was right to think about a fall back thought. Melee weapons where a common occurrence in restrained area, but large hangars and warehouses required a distance weapon. Without one, one would be useless in such a fight.

But on the other, it lacked versatility, rapiers were only made to do piercing moves. Not that useful nowadays. As most peoples had tight armors with few weaknesses. To have the time to found these weaknesses, Weiss would have to be well protected without hindering her mobility.

"How well are you faring money-wise ?  
— I have some money from my company, within chips.  
— Good. Your father would have probably voided any named card, Anonymous chips cannot be, I think your idea could be good. Depending on of how good you are in fencing.  
— Three time Talia-Uma's champion, four time Second to the same title. And without any security rules, I'd say I can be pretty deadly.  
— Then I'd say go for it, but chose a versatile gun to go with it, and a fallback plan. Something a bit tactical could be useful. Also, I think you'll want a Kilpium field to protect you.  
It's really expensive, but it's the best you can have that won't trow away all your agility.  
— I thought of that, and came to the same conclusions."

Yang turned to Ruby.  
"Rube ?   
— Hmm ?  
— Go for your plan too, start by the AK-bees. These guns have the advantage to be both cheap and good.  
— That and the unexpectedly low recoil. I guess after that I cash money and buy armor, mobility, and main weapon ?  
— In that order please. Welp ! Guys, I think we're good for today. Remember that officially your training hasn't even started yet. I'm just taking some advance so we have a smooth ride later on."  
Receiving a firm nod from everyone, Yang opened the door for them.  
"Well then spend the rest of your afternoon socializing or some crap, I dunno. Meet some people."  
She looked at Weiss.  
"Or reconnect with some. And most importantly, have fun. You'll have much, much less when we actually start."  
Weiss rolled her eyes, clearly not believing Yang, Ruby looked exited enough to jump through the roof, and Blake kept her usual poker face. Only smiling slightly when she noticed just how existed Ruby was. They strolled out of the room, Yang turning a last time saluting Mercury, who was still in the room, with her single arm. Salute that Mercury didn't even acknowledge, continuing his work with only a slight stir of the corner of his lips.

 

**********

 

"Soooo Weiss ? Ready to quit yet ?  
— Oh hardly. Although we don't have started yet, I can only say that this place is the warmest I've ever been before !   
— What ? How so ?  
— Peoples greet you politely, but without being formal. They greet you because they want to, not because they have to. It's weird !"

On the other side of their shared room, Ruby snorted.  
"Yeah… I actually kind of am surprised too. I mean this isn't the first time someone I don't know greet me in the corridors, but there this energy here. Something about it feels nice. Warm is actually a good word for it.  
— It's like everyone is a new friend you just haven't met yet !  
— Yeah ! There you go, that's exactly how it feels. The peoples here are just so welcoming its unsettling. I'm so used to peoples going where they need to without even giving you a look.  
— As for me… I'm used to them doing over polite greeting with that cold look in the eyes. The only peoples that never did are my two friends.  
— the one we met earlier ?  
— yes. I can't believe there are here ! A few rooms away !   
— You didn't know where they lived ?  
— no. When I first apologized after we met online, I've made a point to never know. I was scared that it'll bring them problem if my father knew too much about them. So I specifically asked them to NOT tell me their actual names or locations.  
— That's… very thoughtful of you.  
— I had to be. There where the first persons to not mistreat me or be saying just what they where supposed to. They gave me a lot of material to think on. And… They became dear to me extremely fast.  
— Ooooooohoo. One of them in particular ?  
— No, Ruby. Not like that… They are together. And I wouldn't even think to disrupt any of that. Even if I thought of them like that. We're friends. And to be honest I like it very much the way we have it now. To be able to feel them, with my own skin, in the real world. It's so much better than I ever thought It'd get."

With a very interested face, Ruby who was sitting on her bed, bent forward towards Weiss a bit more.

"How did you guys met ?  
— Well. As I said before, I met them in NVR. StarGlasses, I mean Coco, made a small personal server and forgot to lock it. I was new to the whole NVR thing and kind of barged in by accident.  
— Oh.   
— They weren't happy about that."  
Ruby eyes squinted as she noticed Weiss rosy cheeks. Traces of some left out parts of the story.  
"They didn't kick you ?  
— Well no. I explained that I stumbled on accident, I must have apologized a hundred times, I was so embarrassed about it. But they let it go. I was so out of my mind after that, that I dumbly let my real name slip out like a moron.  
— So I guess you weren't looking like actual you ?  
— No. To easy to recognize. I hoped that they wouldn't believe me, but they got very curious about me. Asked questions. When I replied with questions of my own, we began to exchange, just like in any normal conversation. It was very weird ! And all that time they were still… Never mind that."

Once again, Weiss stumbled onto her own words, stuttering as she tried to avoid Ruby's look. It was clear that Weiss wasn't saying all there was to it. But Ruby had no way to prove it, nor did she had any right to reclaim such a full story.

After a little of an awkward silence, until Weiss resumed her story.

"We exchanged information, and oddly enough, the next time I connected, they invited me of their own. We talked as we had the first time, and I began to be in NVR with them more and more often."

There as a hesitation, as Weiss took a small breath in.  
"After a while, I finally grasped in the conversation that Velvet was a faunus… and things… didn't go well.  
— How so ?  
— I said some hurtful things. And they didn't take it well. To be fair, they had all right to be mad at me. But instead of shutting me out, as they knew who I was, Coco saw past my faunus-hate-façade, and pointed out, in a very shouty way, that I was just spitting out what my father had hammered in my head for years. I was furious to hear that. I stormed out of NVR and I didn't talk to them for like, a week, which at that time was like a year, compared to how regularly we talked. I thought it over. Every day. Until I finally admitted the inadmittable. They were right. I had LEARNED, to hate faunus, as I had learned to judge basically anything that wasn't from the highest upbringing. From that point, the more I looked into a mirror, the more I wasn't seeing myself into it anymore. And the solitude I had been so accustomed to for years… It was unbearable after such a familiar contact. Eight days after our last conversation, and after a LOT of hesitation, I finally took the step and reconnected. I was SO glad they hadn't simply locked me out… When I successfully connected, I began to cry on the spot because I was certain the server would deny me. And… When they saw me, kneeling and crying, instead of being harsh, instead of being grudgy. They asked me what was wrong and why I was crying."  
With a happy smile, Weiss wiped a tear.  
"I broke down in their arms. Apologizing again and again, until Finally, I settle down. Then, we talked things out."

Ruby laying back against the wall her bed was mounted onto smiled, beaming at the story.  
"You seem to really like them.  
— I love them more than I ever could any other friends. They taught me so much. How to see things for myself, how to paint my own vision of things, how to say no, when I didn't want my father to control every of my moves. They are the one who made me realize that alienating myself for the company was not healthy, nor worth it. I tried to break free of my father… which didn't go so well… I was stripped of my title and promised to a suitor some weeks after. My father had discovered my NVR implant, and I was forced to give him all data. He had severed all my access to the network… I thought I'd never talk to them again. To know they're here. PHYSICALLY here. Brings me more joy than I could ever have dreamed of. With our team. With them around. I think Maybe I might finally do something of my life I can be proud of. I just need to try."

Ruby nodded at her. It had been four days, and the more she knew Weiss, the less she was worried about sharing a room with her.  
There was, without a doubt, some feud, but they were few and had little to do with opinions or attitude. Most of them were about the room space in itself, as Ruby wasn't as Tidy as Weiss could be. Decoration wasn't a factor yet, but as soon as Weiss and the redhead would have the money, the matter would come onto the table.  
Yet Ruby wasn't that scared. Weiss had showed a surprising mind openness. The only subject that Weiss hadn't boarded freely was sexuality. Each time the matter had come to this kind of thing, Weiss had quickly turned the conversation in another direction, quite naturally so in fact. And with Ruby tamming her own thoughts on the matter. There had been no reason for that t be a problem.  
To be honest with herself, Ruby wasn't that prudish, and she was certainly not clueless. But she feared that breaking the innocent façade would grant her the judgement, first it had been of Blake, and now Weiss.

For Blake, Ruby knew It was mostly insecurities, but there was also some lies she had told, and hoped would never be overted. Mainly, she had lost a job, and to compensate, had taken measure. When she had founded herself enjoying herself much, and discovered just how it was soothing her stress. It quickly became a habit. And she had done it behind Blake's back for years.

Ruby didn't felt shame for doing it, but she did for lying to Blake in the first place, and a lie this old is not easily admitted. Especially to someone so close to Ruby as Blake was. After all, what if Blake was hurt by it ? 

With these thoughts in mind, Ruby turned on her bed in order to properly lay onto it. After their little talk, Ruby had spaced out a bit, and Weiss had begun to do things of her own, so with a small sight, she closed her eyes, and brought the NVR menu up.

She had been putting this on the side since she had gotten it, and now, she had some alone time to use it. It was time to learn how to use all this for her own entraintainment.

 

**********

 

"Soo Blakey, what ya wanna do for fun ?  
— I was actually planning on downloading a few books I saw in the network of the ship. Also I have to go back to the infirmary in an hour for another session of triggering.  
— Oh, yeah, forgot about that. Well, Maybe I'll do somethings of my own then ? I got a few old mates I might want to visit today.   
— Sure."

Classic Blake. In just four days, Yang had been forced to admit that the cat faunus was not that much of a social animal. Wait. Was that offensive ? Question for later. Anyway, the faunus had given her nothing but small talk and weird looks. Yeah, just like that one right now.

The only thing Yang knew about the girl so far was that she liked book, the black color as it seemed to be the dominant in absolutely all her cloths, with purple, and Ruby. But it was hard to not understand why Blake liked Ruby. The girl was just adorable in her own way. And in only four days, had become enough concerned by her captain to berate her on her arm like it was nothing.  
Captain. Yang could only leave a sight out.

"A problem ?  
— No, no. I mean, yeah, but it's not that bad, just feelings of inadequacy caused by what I suspect to be an impostor syndrome.  
— Maybe talking about it would help ?  
— Naaah, I don't know."

Yang would have left it at that. But somehow, it bugged her. She looked herself in a small mirror she had from her childhood, studying her own face. True enough, she wasn't looking like someone that was fine. 'To hell with it 'she thought.

"Actually yeah, talking might help.  
— Then spit.  
— It's just. I don't feel like I can be captain. At all. I mean, I know I'm a good fighter, and I know my shit in fights. But, I feel like it such a responsibility. Your lives may depend on my decisions… What if I fuck up ? What if you, the heiress or Ruby where to get hurt because of it ?   
— Well…  
— And what if I get injured and that fucks our missions up ? Ruby just pointed to me how my arm could have exploded in the middle of a fight ! How is someone so clueless about something so important competent to lead ?  
— Yang. You lead us through the Grav-Arma facility. And while it wasn't perfect, we all made it out alive, and the few problems we had could hardly be attributed to you and the way you took charge.  
— But I didn't ! I never gave any proper order !  
— Yes, you did. For example, you gave Weiss a deadline for opening the hangar door.  
— That was only logical. And she was on that door because she took the initiative to do that."

Blake left a sigh. Searching what was the best she could do to reassure her roommate.  
"Yang. I think you have all it takes to be a good leader. You just need to try. And, in the event you just wouldn't feel capable, if what you told me is true, you don't have to bear that burden alone.  
— Huh ?  
— If you're not sure of what to do, or how to act, just put it on the table for everyone to give their opinions. Maybe it'll give you all the cards to take the ideal decisions."

Yang relaxed a bit. What Blake offered was nice on the paper. There was still to see how it'll turn out. But the Blond could only recognized the truth where it laid : She could never be sure that she was, or wasn't, capable of leading without trying. And so far no one had died or be seriously injured. It didn't help her insecurities, but it consolidated her resolve.

"I… That's an idea."  
With a small smile, Blake turned back to her holographic screen, into her reading.  
"Thanks Blake.  
— You're welcome. If you need to talk. I know we aren't exactly close yet, but don't hesitate to ask."

Yang could only snort silently at that. Blake was literally reading something and acting like she wasn't even seeing Yang, but could, in just a sentence, make sure that her interlocutor knew she was genuinely concerned.   
Good at fighting, and Caring. Yang sure had found herself a good roommate.

Yet, she had talked about getting out, and she wasn't planning on forgetting that. So grabbing her jacket on the way out, she clicked her tong amicably to Blake and got out. The door soon closed behind her.

Now to what to do with this evening. JNR would likely be busy right now. As they had talked to her about movies night. Yang knew better than to go with them. As this was a team moment, and was originally initiated by Pyrrah. It was a time of solemn mourning, and she didn't want to intrude on that.  
There was Emerald, but Yang felt a bit tired for the complex subject of conversations the two of them had. Mercury was probably busy with her arm, best to not disturb him. So that left only…

 

A smirk appeared on Yang's Face, as she pulled her NVR chat application up.

Yo ! C-Bitch. U busy RN ?

There was a small wait. Followed by a response.

Training Room. In ten minutes. Small sparing session then we'll see. Deal ?

The smirk of Yang widen. Looked like quite a night was ahead.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yup ! stiiil not dead. though some of you might have thought so ^^. 
> 
> I have a work now, and it really put a toll on my correction rate.  
> The fact is the next chapter is written since about a month now, but I just never had any time to correct it, and when I did, I was too tired.
> 
> I work in cold environment (-18°c / -0.4°F) And it tires me alot. especially when my job consiste mainly in taking boxes of ten kilograms to put then on my EUR-pallet. ALL DAY LONG. 
> 
> that leaves me a little worn out when I get home. Especially since chrismas is appraoching and restaurants are ordering more and more shit.
> 
> I haven't forgotten about you all thought ! I take my portable computer with me, and I write almost all my lunch pause. so about an hour a day...  
> And let's just say that I have a bit of content to correct already.  
> I found some courage and energy to do this chapter today, but since I'm not at the peak of my form, I might have missed things or written non-sens, don't hesitate to point it out.
> 
> Small warning, the next chapter is... well it's 30 pages long. (god help me, how am I supposed to correct such a block of text ?!) and it contains smutt. I'm pretty sure you all know who it'll involve, I left few doubts.
> 
> that'll be my second serious smutt scene ever. and I hope you will enjoy it as much as I did when I wrote it.
> 
> Once the end years festivities have ended, I expect to be a little less tired by work, which should settle down. (I'm doing ten to eleven hours a day right now, I have only time to eat, shower and sleep outside of weekends.) until then, updates might be sparses... I cannot believe this is my first publication in two freaking month !
> 
> I hope you enjoy the read, and as always, I'll see you next time !


	8. Hatesex and the Shining beacon.

Yang threw a punch. It wasn’t fast or strong. Nothing like an actual fight. She didn’t need that. Cinder was not in peak form. She never was. And with only one arm, it was usually easy for Yang to throw the second in command off balance.   
Today was harder, as Yang had left her prosthetic with mercury.  
Yang always won these fights. But it wasn't about Win or lose. All of it was just a way to get Cinder in a specific rageous mood. All while dodging Cinder unique fist, Yang kept on her smug face.  
Cinder already looked furious. And that was all this was about. Pissing the woman off was the solace goal of these fights. As much for Yang than for Cinder.  
Off course, cinder would pretend that she needed the training, in case someone boarded them. But truth was both of them knew perfectly this was Bullshitty excuses.  
With ease, Yang blocked the next punches, tugging on Cinder only arm, making the second stumble forward where Yang easily punched her in the gut. Strong enough to hurt, not enough to stop her.  
All these fight looked the same. All where one sided. Yang didn't even remember a single punched Cinder could have ever landed. Except maybe for the one she took intentionally while deadpanning the masked woman. It always trew her off. That she finally land a punch only to realize that in Yang's eyes, it was so feeble, so weak, dodging ultimately wasn't even necessary.

It was just making sense. Cinder had always been a scientist, an intellectual, even before her injuries. And said injuries had made her slow.

All wasn't easy for Yang thought. First off. Face punches were strictly forbidden, as was anything that came close of grazing cinder's mask.  
To be frank it was annoying. In four year of knowing Cinder, the woman had never even once been seen without that damn mask and the damn leather she was wearing on half of her body. Even in the shower she kept theses ! There were other peoples that had received severe burns. Yang had seen them. And after a while, they stopped hiding it for the most part. That was just part of accepting that it was like that and would never change anymore.

Yang got that feeling of wanting to hide more than once a few years back. She knew the feelings of inadequacy more than anyone. She had been a pro-boxer. And all her friends at that times were in the game. To be seen with an arm missing. With her only purpose taken from her. It had driven Yang sick. Broke her down to the point she considered suicide.  
And without pyrrah, it would have probably ended poorly for her.  
But Yang had left that behind. Just like anyone who gets a scar eventually do. It'll only still happened to her when she had nightmares, deformed memories of what had happened that day. Cinder never got past it. Yang was sick of all these accessories, especially when you knew how the bitch had gotten them. If it was not for the ridiculous efforts Cinder took to hide all of that, Yang would have had respected for her.  
But this wasn't her business. Cinder wasn't a friend. Not even close. And Yang had no right, nor energy to tell cinder any of that. So she just sucked it up, dodging another useless punch. With no ceremony or pity, she grabbed the next one Cinder was throwing at her moving cinder around her like a vulgar bag of potatoes, only to force the woman to walk backward on Yang's leg, making her fall. 

The landing was quite hard. As proved the grunt of displeasure Cinder let out.  
There was a pause here.

Yang studied Cinder's face. It was red. There was a bit of tiredness into them, but it was easily shadowed but all the unyielding rage that inhabited the woman right now. There was also something else. Something that Yang had waited to see for a good while. It was the first sign.  
Usually, it took a bit longer before the second in command dropped the pretenses, but that time she must have been pant up, because when she got up, her guard didn't. Ignoring that Yang threw more punches at her direct superior, punctuating them by the occasional fast move and dodge.  
She jumped right back in Cinder's reach, and the woman took the opportunity to try once more to hit the blond brawler. Yang elusively lowered herself, the arm passing her head without so much as grazing her, headbutting Cinder quite hard before throwing a kick.  
Cinder, pushed back, hitting the wall, tried to get back up. Her stance was uneasy, and Yang's gut-kick must have done more of a number on her than she was letting on with her rageous face.   
Grabbing her weird Chinese dress top, and getting it off with her one arm, Cinder was left in a sport spat and her leather.  
She must have been too hot.  
She rushed Yang, making the woman smirk at the obvious suicide Cinder was throwing herself into.  
The reception was hard. Yang deciding to not hit violently, but to simply use Cinder's velocity against her, swiping her foot under her, sending her stumble on the ground and roll a bit further on the soft training mattress.  
When she got back up, she was actively growling her rage, running again at Yang, but shifting direction at the last minute.  
Yang felt genuinely surprised when she discovered that Cinder, not playing fair, had decided to attack by an angle only her right arm could have stopped. Right arm currently in maintenance, that is. But Cinder didn't punch, she grabbed Yang as a hole, throwing herself on her.  
Despite her strength and agility, the lack of her right arm was putting Yang at disadvantage, as she wasn't as used to the lack of balance as Cinder was, and she was laid on the floor more easily than she would have liked. But cinder didn't care, her next move was to plunge her face right between Yang's face and shoulder, where she bit the flesh of the brawler quite hard, almost to blood.  
Pain, mixed with an incredibly strong wave of arousal overcame Yang as she shouts.  
"YOU BITCH !"  
Cinder wasn't the first one to admit that fighting Yang was hot. Despite trying a lot, Yang didn't get it. For her, fighting was fighting, and nothing more. Cinder was the only exception. Yang understood exactly why cinder needed that warm up before they got serious. Both her and Yang hated each other; To guts. The only common thing they had where the arm missing and being part of the pirate coalition. To yang, it only took Cinder's smug face to get angry at her. She hated that face, that self-satisfied look, like the world just had to bend its knee for her. It was infuriating. But cinder was slower. She didn't anger over yang like that, not for no reason. And these reasons where generally too out of a casual context to bring the arousal the both needed to get this further. These fights were incredibly frustrating for Cinder. She could never touch or dodge in time. Yang was simply trained where cinder was mostly not.

Dropping the act entirely, Cinder grabbed her pin out of her hair.  
There was the final sign. Cinder threw herself at yang, murderous look in the eye.

Yang didn't even move, in a second, she was secured against the ground.  
There were some rules to respect, when she was laying Cinder. Theses had been voiced, or tacitly agreed upon, the most important where to never touch the mask. It was synonym to immediate stop.  
The second was that the leather didn't move. Ever. It was covering Cinder's burns, and she had made it adamant, that it was supposed to stay this way. 

One Yang was more than happy to follow was that there was supposed to be no affection. At all. No kissing. No sweet words. No skinship. This wasn't about that. This was carnal and nothing more. And it was to always stays like that. If it ever changed, Yang would be the first to break it off. She could already see how toxic a hatesex based relationship could be, and she wanted none of that.

Finally. It had been more tacitly decided that Cinder would usually start on top. Thought it wasn't always staying like that.  
Yang pushed Cinder off her like she was weighing paper. A small huff escaping Cinder as the force pushed the air out of her lungs. When she looked up, Yang was already on her, tearing apart the spats she was wearing. Yang knew perfectly how Cinder didn't care much for her cloth, but destroying property of the woman was still a pleasure, and Cinder at least pretended it was pissing her off. That was enough for her.  
Still, half fighting, half biting each other, both scarred women slowly, foot after foot, meters after meters, took it towards the gym's showers.  
As soon as the water was flowing, their cloths scattered in the lockeroom, they were at each other again, Cinder planting her teeth firmly into yang's shoulder, with the clear intent to leave marks all over the woman.  
Pain infuriatingly high rose in yang who gave that back with her nails against Cinder's back.

Yang and cinder have had this game going on for about three years now. About two or three time a year. Generally on Cinder's terms. The first time, it had happened on accident. And both of them had since made a sort of half-habit out of it. Cinder was always all work and no fun. This was her way to unwind once in a while. When she physically needed it. It was also easy, as it wasn't necessary to do any courting Cinder probably didn't felt capable off with her burns.  
As Cinder grunted when Yang's nails drew blood, she firmly grabbed Yang by the shoulder and yanked her to force her face on the wall, making the young girl present herself. Yang resisted, mostly for the kick of it, both for her and Cinder as well as to remind cinder that, despite the fact she was doing it, she wasn't doing it for her, or by submission, only because she knew what she would get out of it. Despite the warm shower, the hole ordeal was cold. Just sex, and a bit of violence. It was animalistic and loveless.

As Cinder forced her chin on Yang's left shoulder, her thumb found Yang's clit. Yang could only bit her lips as the first actual stimulation of the day finally came. She was already wet of course. Just by conditioning. Now, the fights with cinder always meant sex afterward. And her body had picked it up as a sign. It was preparing early on. 

The chin of Cinder digging into her muscles was causing pain, only making her grunt more. It was the only way for cinder to hold Yang in place, and Yang respected that.   
She obediently parted her legs a bit more. Allowing Cinder to push a first finger in as she took a sharp in-breath.  
As soon as she felt Yang was more than wet enough, Cinder pushed a second digit in, and didn't bother with delicacy, roughly fingering Yang on the spot.  
The brawler felt her spine tense, as her muscles did the same. Electric shocks going through her as she took Cinder's fingers in. contracting in rhythm against them. Yang pushed herself against them, using only her head and neck to do so, as her only arm was busy grabbing Cinder's ass behind her, to the best of Yang's ability considering she was still shoved against the wall.  
As she felt herself closing climax, Cinder must have done as much, because she stopped, forcing Yang to turn. Pushing herself closer, the burned woman swept yang's feet with her own. Yang would have stayed on her feet if she wanted. She didn't. As soon as she was on the ground, Cinder used her arm to press Yang's head against her needy cunt.  
It was always weird to yang. Almost half of cinder's body had burned. To the arm and legs, as well as a big part of the back and a good amount of the front as well. Yet Cinder's pussy had been spared. And as Yang's tongue got to work, closing her eyes, Yang could have never guessed that Cinder had a missing arm and the other covered in burns. Yang never got to know how Cinder lost her arm. It was on the opposite side of the burns. She didn't care enough to ask. And she knew the subject to be sensitive enough to piss Cinder beyond sexual excitation. So she didn't ask, and Cinder didn't tell.

As Cinder's wet fold began to gush more and more, Yang used her hand, pushing the slick up to her superior's ass. It wasn't something yang did often, but she knew the bitch liked it. It was also quite a hard feat to manage, as the tight ring needed much lubrication for anything interesting to do with it be possible and nice feeling. And sometimes, even that wasn't enough.  
The attention and regular poking Yang did only brought more juices to gush out on Yang's tong and face. A good sign. Cinder was actually very good to hide her arousal or pleasure. And sometimes only this told Yang if she was doing a fine job or if she wasn't.

Finally, Yang pushed a first finger in, and she felt Cinder lay onto her. Gripping her hair strongly, and as a whole. It was the only way Yang tolerated that anyone tugged on her hairs, as there was fewer risks of losing hair this way. It had always been hard for her to grow it, hence the fact she was so defensive of it. 

The tight ring of flesh squeezed strongly around her finger, and Yang pushed further and further. Her mouth circling Cinder's clit as she sucked it, reasonably strongly.  
A single moan escaped cinder, despite her best effort, as Yang began to tease the woman's ass repetitively all while drinking sucking Cinder's cunt.

As Cinder approached her peak, she began to slowly rise on both tips of her feet, her legs trembling from the tensions as more and more sounds escaped her forced silence, until now only troubled by the running water and sloshing sounds yang made by pumping Cinder's ass thoroughly. Until she let her sole lay on the ground again, lifting her smooth foot up to Yang's pussy. It was an awkward position to be in, but with some patience, Cinder actually managed to slip a thumb into Yang, lifting repetitively as she was getting off herself. To Yang's pleasure, Cinder's Nails were cut short. And the woman's position made it easier to slip a second finger up her ass.  
This time Cinder Grunted. Pressing Yang's head strongly as she rocked her hips feverishly. There was no pretense of cumming silently this time, and as she squeezed Yang's finger dearly, she felt the brawler tong properly invade her pussy, and her orgasm was there. Flooding Yang mouth copiously. She grunted, shuddered, tensed only to release her muscles and do it all over again. The ex-scientist Yang was drinking milked her pleasure until the very last drop of it, slowly grinding herself up against Yang's hungry mouth.  
Cinder finally let her head lay onto the wall for a second, her foot thumb escaping Yang's pussy. But as she felt he legs soon ready to give out, she had to flex them to sit properly. She had a ragged breath, signs of what was now a powerful afterglow.   
However, Yang wasn't done. And without getting properly up again, she proceeded to take revenge for the way Cinder had left her hanging earlier. Without even looking Cinder's face, she grabbed one of her leg and pushed it up, unceremoniously pressing her pussy against cinder's, who grunted again as she was still too sensitive there. Cinder had deprived her of her fun, well then she would give Cinder too much. And so she fiercely rocked her hips, tearing a shout of evenly mixed pain and pleasure out of the woman. She cockily smilled at the bitch as she did it again, even stronger, and again. Beginning a fucking frenzy.  
Cinder too sensitive hadn't even in her to resist, only contorting and twisting herself on the ground as her brain felt like frying. Gone was the smug as she gritted her teeth, trying her best to not sound like she was cumming non-stop, and failing miserably. Yang pushed herself closer, hip rocking after another, until she was within reach of Cinder's right breast. That she grabbed, pinching it hard, earning a strong cry of pure rage out of Cinder. The second in command bent upward as she sprayed girlcum everywhere, hitting Yang's right eye in the process, But Yang didn't falter. This wasn't enough yet. She needed more. So straightening herself she use her arm to lift Cinder's leg upward, effectively forcing her on the side, and after having locked the leg between her breasts, Yang took her hand back to cinder's ass, that she proceed to open with her two fingers, scrapping the back of Cinder's rectum as she rocked her hips against cinder more and more. Cinder's eyes reached her skull, and one of the more powerful moan she had ever let go out of her ever escaped. Yang's orgasm came out of nowhere, and she forced Herself on last time, as both her cunt and cinders gushed out one last time. That time, the moan was common, which was quite rare.  
Both of them trembled there for a full minute, until finally Yang found the strength to push herself backward against the wall. Still ragged, she took a moment to admire her work, as she had clearly outdone herself.  
Cinder was still on the ground. Still trembling, and as appearance seemed to tell, still lost in a powerful orgasm. With an almost sadistic smile, Yang gathered her strength and crawled on all four toward the woman, only to use her middle finger to flick Cinder's bean one last time, making her buck upward hard. Then with a small laugh, she got up, despite the fatigue in her legs, and got out of the showers, letting cinder alone in the middle of the room to get down from her high. 

 

**********

 

Cinder blinked.  
What was she doing again ? This felt strangely familiar. Oh, right. She was in the main Server room. She must have dozed off. Better not to do that too often. She was quite sure the boss wouldn't like it if she was caught doing that. And dishes duty were for the grunts, not scientists.

Pushing one button with a hand, she grabbed her cup of coffee with the others, simply reading the boring and numerous data on her NVR as she sipped a taste. Cold. Off course, it was. How long the fuck did she slept ?

Opening her intercom, she spoke.  
"Emerald. Are you there ?  
— Yes ma'am ?   
— Could you bring me the files I asked you to sort earlier ? As well as a new coffee ? That'll be all.  
— Of course ma'am. I'll be there in the minute."

As the intercom cut, Cinder snorted.  
This girl was kind of endearing and infuriating at the same time. She was only her for a month, but in less than three days, she had learned exactly how cinder like her files to be sorted. How Cinder liked her coffee, what she could and couldn't say, and how to properly address Cinder.  
It had taken Cinder about Four month to do that with her first mentor. There was undoubtedly something driving the young green haired girl, but for her life, Cinder couldn't know what it was.

True to her word, the young Informatica and scientist wannabe was there in less than a minute. 

Looking at her, Cinder could only smile seeing how she was so curious, her eyes flickering at anything she didn't know in the room.

At the exterior of the door, the young guard was still waiting.   
Cinder found him annoying. Mostly because he didn't give shit about anything but himself. And didn't give any respect to her. But it didn't really matter. Most of the time he was outside of the door, watching Emerald work. And it was not like Cinder was able to get rid of him anyway. After all she was serving on a ship. And you sadly couldn't just trow annoying boy such as him in the SAS for no reason… or for any reasons anyway. Cinder just really wished her laboratory wouldn't have to be guarded by brutes like him.

Emerald placed the fresh coffee and transferred Cinder's files directly to the scientist NVR. And as usual, it was perfect.  
"Good. Now go away. Oh, and another thing, from now on, you are to check on me each half hour. And wake me If I happen to fall asleep. These logs can be horribly tedious, but I cannot do them if I'm asleep.  
— Of course ma'am.  
— Good. Then you can go back in the office."

And just like that, Emerald left the room.  
However, Cinder didn't have time to look her go, as her work took all of her attention, since several popups came into her view, flashing red.

Something began to feel wrong when the warnings happened to be about critical pressure. How so many warnings could come up all at the same time ? And without previous, less urgent notice ?  
This wasn't right. Cinder suddenly felt something very wrong was going on. She couldn't put her finger on it, but she knew who could. And so she simple asked.

"Salem ? Respond."

There was only silence. Weird. Maybe she was busy elsewhere. The IA had proved she wasn't that great at multitasking conversations, mixing them up. And as such had been instructed to not respond if she was having confidential ones. But there wasn't any important official onboard to what Cinder remembered.

Something felt very bad. Cinder knew something bad was about to happen, but had no idea why. This just seemed so awfully familiar. There was a noise. Like something detonating, but so far away that the plates and metal of the ship muffled it.

Fear grew into Cinder as she tried to understand what was going on.

"SALEM, RESPOND NOW."

There was a strong shaking as light flicked Cinder however was relieved when she saw the Hologram projector spring to life. However, this didn't last long. Salem hologram appeared, but there was something very wrong going on as Cinder blinked. What was that ?!

In front of Cinder, stood the transparent woman, nothing like Cinder knew her. The calm and composed IA had been twisted into a being full of hatred, it was visible on her face the IA was full of unyielding rage.  
Gone was the blond hair and nice blue eyes, the white cloths of the IA. At Salem's place stood some demon version of it. Black eyes. Flickering like crazy. Sparks began to sprout from everywhere in the room.

"SALEM WHAT THE FUCK IS HAPPENING ?!!"  
But the scientist got no answer from the flickering IA. 

Before Cinder could question anything, there were multiples detonations, all closer than the previous. The only thing that could explode this many times in the ship at this speed was… Oh no.

Cinder turned her eyes with dread toward the cooking gaz line of the room, but it was too late. The pressure was already critical. Cinder didn't even have the time to move before it ruptured, and as sparks continued to rage on, Cinder was hit by dozens of metal shards, all while flammable gaz exploded. A sharp pain took her left eye as she was tossed across the room, painful light in her field of view as she screamed, until she crashed against a wall violently. Flame engulfed everything. Where she had stood some seconds earlier was now a hole. And as Cinder difficultly rose herself back up, her breath taken out of her. A new sound began to rose, higher and higher… It was all familiar, and it was normal, that was the gravity generator… but it seemed wrong. It was accelerating… the sound rising always higher and louder. When cinder stumbled backward to look at the ceiling, comprehending what danger she was in, it was almost too late. She could only watch as the Gravity generator, out of control began to rip the ceiling toward her, hundreds of metal plates and beams falling.

She ducked towards the door. If the debris collapsed on her she was dead. Plain and simple. And as she was flying across the room, everything slowed down. She wasn't that far. She could make it ! Maybe, she would make it !

She didn't. As debris hit her shoulder she felt herself fall toward the ground, the air knocked out of her lungs. And then, pain took her. She could only scream as she heard the Grimm sound of her bones shattering in millions of pieces as her right arm was crushed and pressed under literal hundreds of kilos in the form of metal. The full entirety of the bones, in a matter of second, was reduced to fragments in her arm. a mixed of fear an agony escaped her throat even before the arm was crushed.

Cinder lost awareness. And when it came back a few seconds later, all she could do was struggle to escape the metal debris, a desperate, animalistic whining vibrating out of her breathless voice. However, the Gravity generator was pushing her on the ground so hardly at this point she wasn't able to move a muscle. By some miracle, granting her the right to live, It suddenly shortcuted, and the whole room immediately stopped weighing anything. The fire was slowly propagating toward her, she needed to go. With a grunt she crawled a meter. The Gravity generator, like mocking her sprung to life, although less strongly. She fell. Got up, Fell again. All occurrences waking the immeasurable pain her arm was right now. Progressing across the room, she finally reached the wall. She used it stumbling, foot after foot, toward the door. At some point she realised her left eye wasn't seeing anymore. It probably was done for. It felt like a miracle when the door opened. Emerald was behind and immediately gave her a shoulder to lay on.   
"OH GOD miss fall ! What happened to your eye ? Are you okay ?  
— No. My arm is fucked. What is going on ?  
— I don't know. Everything was fine until a few minutes ago, then the whole informatics system was thrown completely out of whack. Everything stopped working. Half of the ship is on lockdown, and the rest is on fire. And I think the propulsion of the ship was reported offline just before everything got out of hand. We don't even have proper Radio coms anymore !"

Cinder, with the help of her assistant, walked toward a nearby chair. The young guard on the other side of the room was seemingly working on the exit door.  
"This stupid thing is jammed !"

As soon as she was sitting, Cinder looked at her arm. She hadn't studied that much in medicine, but she knew some peoples that did. And she knew what she was seeing was bad. Her arm had begun to swell, and it was brown. Until now, she had not quite felt the pain, but adrenaline could only do so much.

"God, the pain... Emerald, found me something long. Like a cord, a rope. Or maybe a belt.  
— what ? Why ?  
— I need to stop the blood from going into my arm. Not only is the pain killing me, but there is a very high chance I have multiples internal blood loss. It might be infectious and lead to gangrene, and there also risks for my renal systems. Let's be honest here, the chances of meeting a doctor in time are low, and the risks for my general health makes me think I better cut the bloodstream from my arm entirely.   
— But… Isn't that going to make you lose it ?"  
Cinder chuckled.  
"Girl, this arm is done for. Even If I managed to reach a doctor right now, it would probably be beyond saving.  
— But.  
— Just look how it behaves emerald. It's like there is no bones in there. It's crushed beyond repair, the only way to save it would be to put me on stasis, and that's just out of question.  
— Why ?!  
— This is Salem's doing.  
— What ? But she was brand new ! Why would she do something like that.  
— I don't know. But there was a severe and sudden change of appearance, swing of mood. She's really aggressive right now, if this isn't a Rampant AI, I don't know what is. All sorts of problems happened all at once everywhere on the ship. No human can be this coordinated or fast. And Salem had controls over the full ship."

It just didn't make sense thought. Salem was supposed to be in her first year of service, how could she be rampant. And rampant AI weren't normally that murderous, they had delusion of power, not psychopathic impulse of murdering an entire ship. None of this made sense.

Emerald soon came back with a belt. It was a leather one. Perfect. The pain was excruciating. Compressing an arm with a fully broken bone wasn't fun. And Cinder learned it the hard way. Despite her cries and the fact cinder was greeting her teeth almost to the point of breaking them, Emerald, focused on the scientist, kept her cool.  
Once it was properly closed off, Cinder got up. Thanking every god that adrenalin and the current commotion managed to make it bearable enough for her to walk, if a bit dizzily.

"Emerald, you have NVR, right ?  
— I do.  
Perfect, found us a map.  
not before we at least put a protection on your eye."  
the look Emerald gave her made cinder realize there would be not argument there. Which was weird considering how obedient and tame miss Sustrai usually was. She gave her a nod. At least bandaging it could prevent a lot of infections. then as Emerald began to fetch what she needed, Cinder turned to the guard."You. What's your name ?"  
The guards turned, as he gave one last kick to the door, opening it with a loud clanging noise. Cinder winced through the pain when she felt her assistant pressing a disinfected gaze from a half crushed emergency medical kit.  
"The name's Mercury Black, Boss.  
— Alright. We need to go to the central AI core, and put Salem out of it.  
— Hmm, Miss fall ?  
— What is it Emerald?  
— There is fire reported on a lot of place from here to there.  
— We… We'll have to manage.   
— Also your eye needs to be treated.  
— Is it that bad ?"   
It was the young black who answered.  
"You have a hole where it used to be."  
Cinder's pain was so great in her arm her eye's one had been clearly overshadowed. She shook her head as soon as emerald was done with fixing the patch of gaze. She would lament later, if she survived. Right now, she needed to get them out of there. There was Sixty thousands peoples on this ship. They needed to regroup, organize themselves, repair and send an SOS, if the bridge hadn't already done it.

If her eye was useless, then she would make it useful. Using NVR, She opened a new HUD into the destroyed field of view. It was directly into her brain, so she didn't need the eye for it to be functional. She began to walk, slowly, as Mercury and Emerald helped her.

" Boss I don't want to sound rude or asking dumb question, but considering the state of the ship wouldn't it be wiser to go for the droppods ? You're not in shape to go to a fifty meters walk, much less, a stroll through half a capital ship.  
— That is not THAT stupid, but I guess you don't have NVR, so you don't know.  
— Know what ?"   
It was emerald who answered.  
"Salem jettisoned them all.  
— Fuck."

As soon as they passed the door, Cinder regretted she had gotten up this morning a little more. Half of the corridor was buried under debris from explosions. There were multiples gaz leak that hadn't exploded only because the flames coming from them weren't burning enough to get back into the pipe. A thick smoke covered the ceiling, result of all the different materials burning and spewing plethora of nasty chemicals into the air. This place was a wreck. There was a corpse under some of the debris, near the door. Poor guy had been less lucky than Cinder. It was his torso that had been crushed and not his arm like her.

They passed him, Emerald having a lingering look as Mercury, clearly more unfazed, pushed her getting sure she stayed near them. For cinder, it wasn't the first time seeing a corpse out of a morgue. It had happened once before, thought Cinder found it to be more traumatic than this.

A few years back, as she was just starting, another pupil of the council, driven mad by the pressure, constrain, and the workload, had decided to put a bullet through his head.  
He had done it under Cinder's eyes, and that had earned her some months of therapy.

Today she had no time to even consider a poor man's body.  
There was than thousands of peoples working on this ship. And they were probably dying or in danger more and more by each minute. Something needed to be done.

And so they pressed forward, they had to cover from the labs to the AI core, which was central to the ship. As cinder looked over the map she had, she had to admit it was concerning.  
The only way to get there still intact enough was to go through the main residential area of the ship. And a small storage just behind it. There would be dozens of gaz pipes there. It was certain they would need to get fire on their way.  
It was weird actually. Normally, the sensors should have detected the fires and automatically triggered the ceiling sprinklers. The fact it didn't was weird. 

"Mercury, was it ?  
— Yes ?  
— Do you have access to the storage rooms a bit further after the residentials ?  
— A part of it, not all. Why ?  
— All others paths are either collapsed or locked."

They were all silent when they finally reached the end of the corridor linking all the labs together with the other parts of the ship.

"Locked ? Why is it locked ?  
— It Shouldn't be."   
Cinder had immediately replied to Emerald as she stumbled near the door.

"Mercury, find us some tools, Emerald, have you tried contacting other peoples on the network ?  
— I did, but nothing. I don't even have access to the wireless network anymore."

Again, Something was wrong here. Very, very, very wrong. Doors that weren't connected to Salem had locked themselves out of nowhere, the Network was offline despite a redundancy of hardware beyond average… it shouldn't have been like that. And why was this happening now at all time ? The ship had been near the most populated stations for months, flying around. There were getting a bit far near the Sun, and suddenly all things became defective at once ? There was a door to the right leading to the now gone escapes pods.  
Following a hunch, Cinder opened it and entered. Soon followed by the two others. Getting near of the closed door, Cinder began to test it, pushing the buttons in sequence. as soon as she tried to access logs, an error popped up.ERROR : Logs are corrupted. Please contact the manufacturer.Another clue leading her to the terrible conclusion. She shook her head as comprehension began to sink. Now fear was bubbling and boiling in her as she realised just what this was all about.  
She ran to the next pod, on the right. Redid all the steps. Same result. She did it again. Then again. Until she had manipulated and checked each and every door of the room… she wiped the portion of her face that wasn't injured as drops of rageous tears began to fall off her valid eye…  
Emerald came to her, question in her eyes as she was seeing Cinder's distraught.  
"All of them…  
— What it is ? What do they have ?  
— All of them give an error for any command. This… This cannot be Emerald. Each and every independent evac hardware being impossible to ask anything of isn't a dysfunction… It's sabotage. Someone is trying to get rid of the entire ship and any proofs.  
— What ?! Who would do that ? For what reasons ? This isn't even a military ship !"

Cinder never heard that answer… her ears began to ring as she felt her mind was about to figure something out. She was missing something. Something very important. What was it ?

Near the sun, Isolated. Incapable of sending distress signal, the main propulsion system of the craft being offline… Near the sun. Oh. Oh that was bad.

Dread flooded Cinder as she ran to the nearest screen, trying to connect to it by all means.  
Ships global systems, Course, Itinerary… Precious seconds ticked away until the shambled informatic system finally gave way to Cinders request, displaying the current trajectory of the ship.  
Cinder chuckled bitterly as she saw what she feared. Salem had changed the course of the ship. They were heading straight for the giant ball of gas that Helios's sun was. They had approximately three hours top to change course.

Cinder was out of the room in a matter of second.  
Mercury had found an old wrench. Nothing useful for much, but it was heavy. Cinder took it out of is hand with newfound strength.

She wasn't going to DIE here ! She wasn't someone anyone could just get rid of ! Now it was anger that flooded her as she ran right back to the locked door.

"Cinder wait, you can't hope to open this with a dumb wren-"  
With a cry and despite every pain she was feeling, her desire to live and her anger fed Cinder all the strength she needed. The wrench came crashing on the screen panel of the door HARD. Dislodging it and shattering it. Without even looking as it Cinders threw the wrench on a side, punching throughout the rest of the screen without missing a beat, tugging on it and ripping it off.

"I AM NOT DYING HERE !"  
Connecting the two cables she knew where the unlocking system, Cinder gestured Mercury to do his part.  
He understood at once, placing his hand on each side of the sliding door and trying to force it open. It was a heavy-duty door, and it didn't budge until Emerald began to tug on the other door.  
As soon as the first centimeters of the doors were opened, inferno came in the room. Hot air and flame sounds following as a thicker smoke began to sip in the room. This explained why it was locked. Fire situations security protocols included an automatic lockdown of parts too severely hit. They had reached the residential areas, and the multiples domestic gas lines contained here had all ruptured.   
Using all of their strength, both underlings of Cinder opened the door, centimeters after centimeters, until the passageway was large of a good half meter.  
Cinder, not minding the hot air and flames coming out of almost every room on the side of the corridor, grabbed the wrench on the ground, and pressed on. Now that she knew, the fact the sprinklers hadn't done their job wasn't that surprising.   
Everything had been orchestrated. And Salem ? Brand-new AI from the councils labs ? The AI was probably not so new. At all. Or worst, maybe it was a defect. It was suddenly all making sense !

 

Going through the area ended up being hard. A lot of place where burning, and if the main corridor had been kept neat enough that there wasn't any flames here, a part of it was collapsed.   
After a few minutes of Mercury and Emerald trying to put some of the debris out of the way, they all had begun to cough, and it was quickly agreed they wouldn't last long like that, certainly not long enough to even liberate a quarter of the junk they needed to move to be able to go through.  
The place was huge, there has to be way to circumvent the whole part of the corridor that was blocked. However, that meant they had to go through habitat, most of them burning and unstable. Some gravity generators had, were, or would soon malfunctions and cause collapses. 

It was actually Emerald who managed to find a first door that wasn't completely welded shut, as Mercury was helping Cinder through the rest of the way there, she even managed to open the door for them.

Inside, the place was a hot mess. Literally. There was a whole in the small living room, and the metal was melting, Flames spewing from the inferior levels of the block.  
Breathing became a challenge in itself because of the heat, but at the very least, the toxic garbage in the air had already been entirely burned into carbon here. and it was mostly non-toxic, the airdraw from the levels below being purer. 

Reaching the end of the room, not far behind Emerald, Cinder and Mercury had to duck to avoid a beam of metal that came crashing down.  
The middle of the room tore itself apart on impact, the only way back collapsing under the loads of metals.  
With no way back, they had no choice but to push further or die trying. Both mercury and cinder soon found Emerald Desperately trying to open a door. Despite their best try, each and every one of them had small burns, Mercury got to help Emerald out so the door could begin to open, with a strong protesting noise. The got out of the place only to found themselves in another corridor full of flames. Mercury however, saw something.

"Wait me here. If I'm not back in three, no two minutes, go without me !  
— Wait where are you going ?! You fool !"  
Mercury ran, jumping high above an ocean of flame and disappeared in the noises of flames and crashing metal.  
Both Cinder and Emerald stood there, plainly livid. If not for the absence of horrible cry of pain, both of them would have thought Mercury was already burning to death. Yet, out of the flame after only a few seconds, he came, almost looking like he was flying until he received himself on his hands, rolling forward and stopping.   
Both of the girls understood. Passed around the young guard's neck were three masks, made to filter out fumes. But what really got their attentions was the legs : Mechanical legs. The cloths of the young boy had simply burned almost totally up to his laps. And most of his cloths where smoking dangerously. More than that would probably have made him burn. He handed them to both Emerald and Cinder, as he put his own correctly. Still panting, he spoke.  
"I've seen the sign for them near the blockade, I guessed where they were once we got out of this apartment. They should help right ?"

Cinder put the thing on with a relieved smile, as the first breath of clear air made her realize just how dizzy she had become without even realizing it.

Mercury, still red from the strong heat he just escaped, pushed the next door, only to find it locked.  
"Shit. Hey fall, I suppose you don't know how to open this one can you ?  
— No, the screens are a weakness I know of, but this one don't have any. And I doubt the wrench would do much against a metal door like this one. Also shouldn't you call me ma'am or miss fall ?   
— Fuck that. We're in the middle of a spaceship slowly drifting toward a fucking sun. Respect and honorifics were thrown out of the SAS the moment the ship started to get whacked."   
Fair enough Cinder thought. Not that she really minded.  
Emerald pushed Mercury aside.  
"This door is holoscreen protected. Holographic locks. Made especially so you cannot get around with wires.  
— You know how to open that Emerald ??"   
Cinder looked genuinely surprised. Emerald was studying AI-theory and Maintenance under Cinder, her knowing anything about informatic security or doors was kind of surprising. And by way the Green haired girl averted her eyes, her superior could tell this was something the girl would have preferred to stay hidden.  
"I do."   
As soon as Emerald was near the door, the classic holoscreen appeared. It was mercury who first realized that it was odd.  
"Wait, why did they gave you a chip that recognize this specific door ?  
— They… Didn't. I added the authorizations myself."  
There was uneasiness in the voice. Emerald didn't seem proud or comfortable while she was basically admitting Clearance theft and security circumventions in front of them, but she didn't bother looking at them, simply continuing her work until finally, the door opened.

Cinder had always thought this young girl to be meek and nerdy, shy around her, thought she didn't know why, and it was now clear that she may know nothing of the real Emerald. She had been placed in charge of full scientist teams before, and Cinder knew some peoples were hiding some part of themselves. But emerald had been a subordinate of her for about a month, and this month, they had spent more than twelve hours a day together. It was quite vexing to learn in all this time Cinder had seen nothing out of the ordinary, nothing showing that Emerald was putting up a mask. It also got her curious to know who really was Emerald. And it's between theses two sentiments Cinder passed the now opened door, following the two other.

The next room was as ablaze than the previous. They passed a whole block of small lodgements. 'Probably dedicated to the lesser crew' Cinder thought. Janitors, non-military personnel, eventual passengers when the ship had some. Which was quite rare. The ship was enormous. Bigger than most. And was the result of association of the corporate and the council, all in order to create a ship half industrial, half scientific. It was also a neutral terrain for diplomatic encounters. And now it was all set ablaze. Eventually, they found their way into a half melted wall and cut right to the end of the block. When they arrived there, all of them were red from the heat and the light radiating from the fires. Not quite sunburned, but it wasn't that far.  
Cinder mouth was dry, and moving her lips was punished severely, as the skin would crack at every move.  
It wasn't all bad thought. It had made the coagulation of her eye injury much faster and much dryer, forbidding most of the presence of infectious tissues and assuring her a safer recovery. If she made it out alive, that is.  
They didn't even have to open the door on their exit, as it had fell down. Somebody apparently made it out by here before them. The hint being the panel that had been trifled with to prompt the door open.  
Finally, cleaner air and silence followed as they continued on their way. As they turned around the next corner, they came face to face with a woman. Ginger hair and green eyes.  
"Miss fall ! I was on my way to get there. And you brought some peoples !"  
Cinder arched a brown. Did she know that girl ?? Wait. Maybe. Last time she had seen her it was ages ago, when she first arrived on the ship. At that point she was about to take her post as AI-Expert.   
"Hugh… what was your name again ?  
— Penny Polendina ma'am ! The bridge command asked us to create a safe zone and get everyone there. You'll find medical officers and civilians there. It's three blocks from here.  
— You're not coming ?  
— No, I was tasked to find other isolated victims of the incident to bring them in safety. Your wounds are dangerous, but not urgent."  
The blunt statement drew Emerald's attention.  
"Wait how would you know that ?  
— My father's a doctor. Assessing health was always hard coded into my senses.  
— hard coded ? You're a droid ?!  
— Awakened and ready !"  
Cinder remembered she heard about that. Nowadays, droids could look very human, or not. It was all in how they wanted to look. Since the rebellions, in the middle of the gravityte's empire war, most of them worked for the synthis cog, and laws now protected them from straight-up enslavement in all the council. But it was rare to see a human take a droid as adopted child. Which was the case of the doctor Polendina. He had conscientiously created a droid above awakening power and had taught her exactly like any child. Last time Cinder had seen Penny, she had stricken her as bubbly and a bit weird. Also as that time, strangely shy.

"Penny, do you know what's up with Salem ? I tried to talk to her and it seems to me like she's the cause of this mess.  
— I'm sorry. Salem haven't been responsive since at least an hour. When I tried to interface directly with her, she screamed right in my head. Most of my process where immediately attacked. I still feel a bit weird since. I think some of my hardware needs to be changed because of that.  
— did the connection give any Intel ?  
— Not much. She seemed furious about one person on the ship. But I didn't have time to dig that up. And she seemed very busy. Her process and pathways were in sheer effervescence !"

Cinder nodded. The pathways overusage was proof enough.  
"I think the higher ups lied about Salem's age. Her pathway usage is clear sign of rampancy."  
Penny just nodded. She was about to leave when Cinder grabbed her by the shoulder.  
"Penny, is there a safe Way to Salem's core ?  
— I'm sorry I don't know. But you shouldn't go there ! Your arm is beyond broken, you will lose it if it's not attended soon.  
— If I don't put Salem in storage soon, my arm will be the last of my concern, or any of ours for that matter, our course is set right into Helios's sun. And I don't think anyone else knows the procedures to eject an IA from its ship.  
— But your arm…  
— Is expendable compared to the ship's crew. Penny, you know how many persons there is on the Beacon right now."  
It wasn't a question. But penny answered it as such anyway.  
"Seventy thousands peoples, fifty-five percent of them are already deceased.  
— and the other forty-five will be soon if someone doesn't do something."

It was without any chances of appeal. Cinder, much to her sadness, had known the arm to be lost from the start. But she was the only AI engineer onboard. Plus, most of the systems where connected directly to Salem. If cinder managed to get the IA out, she then would have control of most of the ship, and could probably save lives by thousands, starting with her own.

After both Penny and Cinder understood that the other had nothing more to say, each got to their own business, Penny opening a door with her bare hands as Cinder continued toward the safe zone they were gonna have to cross.

As penny said, a few blocks further, Cinder found a door plied open, and inside, the few safe survivors of the ship. A few medical officers were running in every direction, giving aid to who they could. On the right, there was line after line of covered bodies. To the point that sheets to cover them had clearly begun to be insufficient. 

On a roughly estimate of Cinder, there had to be maybe three to four thousands peoples, all taking refuge in what was originally a small observation deck. Most peoples were silent, and letting their eyes fixated on one point, clearly still in shock. The only sound being the medical teams and multiples cry of pain coming from wounded. The ambiance was livid. There was so few peoples that weren't burned or injured in some way, it made Emerald and Mercury some kinds of living miracles, as both of them where mostly unscathed.   
One of the peoples who was helping around noticed their entrance, and started to Run toward them.

"Miss Fall ! How are you even standing ?! This arm needs to be fixed now !"  
'Oh great.' She thought.  
"It's nothing De mehies. Go heal someone else.  
— Nothing ?!! Are you crazy ? I'm asking myself if there is any bone left in your arm ! I shall found you some painkillers immediately. Sit down and wait.  
— NO !"  
The anger in Cinder was enough to make the young man stopped.  
"Mikes, please listen. I cannot take anything that would take my concentration away. I may be the only chance of survival of the entire ship !  
— Wait, you know what's going on ? No one told me anything since the start of the incident.  
— Salem's rampant, the main thrusters of the ship are downed, and we are deriving straight into the sun."

There was a small silent as Mike de Mehies deadpanned her.  
"Mike, listen, no one else on the ship knows how to take an IA out. And Salem's central system is linked to the entirety of the ship. Once the IA have been dealt with, I can restore most of the ship's functions, get most of the door opens and bring down most of the fire. But for that I need my head. And It needs to be done soon. I don't have time for medical treatment. You'll have me all the time you want once we're safe. But right now, I need a route to the central core."

The young officer seemed like he wanted to tell something. He opened his mouth, more than once, but always closed it immediately after. He hesitated. And finally resigned himself with a sight.

"Fine. I'm afraid we're way under the water here. I doubt we'll be able to give a single man to aid you. You think Salem will be dangerous ?  
— Any Rampant IA would be dangerous enough. But Salem's all wrong. Even for a rampant IA something is amiss here, and it doesn't please me. This is all looking more and more like a setup Mike. Someone wanted us to crash in the sun, and they wanted no soul to be able to talk about it."  
It only brought more worry into Mike's eyes, but cinder thought the truth was to be heard for him. The guy wasn't that bad. He was a pacifist, to the last cell of his body. And was personified kindness. Cinder didn't like him mostly because he made her feel hard and cold in comparison. He was so radiant with his goodwill… All cinder had ever done was to look after herself and be a good council pupil. She felt lessened compared to him.

After a final nodding he dug into his vest until he extracted a medical pen out of it. He handed it to cinder.

"Once the pain starts to become unbearable, uncap it and press it against your skin. You will feel a sharp pain at first and it will burn a little in your veins, it's normal. Then you'll be relieved for a few minutes. This is the only thing I can do to help you. Make it count. Also..."he stopped a second grabbing her arm with the most delicacy possible, and immediately injected something in it." This will make sure to keep your arm nutritioned and oxygenated for a while. It'll not save it, but will limit necrosis.   
— Got it, thanks.  
—and cinder ? Be careful."

Cinder smiled sadly to him. As usual, the man was full only of good will. taking a long breath in, she made a first step, and was on her way.  
As she was about to leave the room she turned, finding Emerald and Mercury still behind her.  
"Stay here, and help the medical teams where you can."  
Mercury only laughed.  
"Cinder, you couldn't stop me from following even if you tried. Beside you might need someone to do some heavy lifting her and there.   
— Yeah, right, Like I'd let you alone Miss fall ! You cannot just decide that on your own."

She didn't know why, but cinder was glad they protested. Both of them were acquaintances at best. Mercury wasn't even a colleague. Yet they refused to leave her on her own. It made her feel good. Social skills weren't her finest ability. She was usually rash and abrasive, or sultry and arrogant, which drove most peoples away. and some peoples too close.

"I don't know what Salem might try when she'll realize I'm heading to her core. She's rampant, not stupid. If she ever attacks us, you might be in danger.  
— And what if she got you huh ? Then we'd all die anyway."

Cinder rolled her eyes, unwilling to admit that Mercury had a point.

"Follow me closely, do everything I say once we'll be there. Assuming we actually manage to get there. Emerald behind me, Mercury last. I'll go front." And without even waiting for a confirmation, Cinder began to walk her arm still swinging uselessly like a noodle attached to her shoulder.

First she needed to consult the maps. It seemed this part of the ship's network was behaving better than the labs. And after a few NVR monitoring, she found a way to the IA core. Or the lack there was of… Salem had intentionally cut every corridors by exploding them, and had vented the air inside it.  
If Cinder was to actually go there, there was only one way. Without even turning around, she informed the two others.  
"We have no proper way into the Core, but there is a functional SAS to the void nearby it. We're gonna have to take a walk outside.  
— What about the trip back ma'am ? If one of us gets injured in the core…  
— one of the path to it isn't that damaged, but there is no oxygen there, and the suits are heavy. Making the trip all the way to there with one would exhaust me. It does't sound like a safe solution. However once inside, I might be able to repressurize that part. So we can escape."  
Turning left at the next branching path, Cinder reached the first SAS. She turned around.

"It's more than 2 kilometers of walk with grav-boots, and no jetpack. There is probably debris everywhere outside. Get knocked off the hull, and you're probably dead. Be ready to turn around at some point, we might be forced to."

Cinder took the time to verify their course.  
Still one hour and a half before reaching non-return point of proximity with Helios's sun. they were on time.   
She breathed in.  
They could do this. No they had to do this.

"Emerald, help me with that thing… I cannot do that on my own with my arm."  
It was true. Putting on a freaking space suit, no matter how advanced it could be, or any cloth for that matter, was hard with an arm so broken it seemed boneless. Especially when said arm was mildly swollen  
Cinder had to grit her teeth as Emerald carefully helped her to force the arm in place. She considered using what Mike had given her, but seeing that the pain subdued somewhat once she was suited, Cinder decided against. She needed her head, and might even need reflexes once outside.   
When they finally entered the SAS, all in their suit. Cinder stopped herself from getting the sortie procedures going. She first ported her hand to the now safely locked helmet.  
"Is the radio in order ?  
— Loud and clear boss. A bit too loud actually.  
— Yeah Miss fall. We can hear you.  
— Good. Let's get this spacewalk started then."  
Cinder almost punched the button, and the door closed behind them. The air slowly getting compressed into the reserve until, about a minute later, when the pressure became close enough to void that the door automatically opened and vented the rest.

The access to the SAS was all round. It was a feature so peoples could actually walk on all surfaces. It also helped with eventual atmosphere entry, though a ship this big crashing on any planet would have been so catastrophic there would have likely no survivors anyway.

Walking on the round edges Cinder slowly shifted to the vertical compared to the ship's hull, soon to be followed by the two others.  
Helios's sun was visible when looking directly at the ship's front. And as Cinder had feared, metal debris, rest of the hull near room that had properly exploded because of Salem's madness, were floating around everywhere, at various velocity. Somewhere just annoying, but some other could very much tear someone off the hull. Fortunately, those where few. Looking toward what Cinder believed to be their destination, she took in the distance. It wasn't close by. Especially considering that the ship's hull wasn't smooth surfaced. It was full of asperity, crevices, they'd had to get around of or pass, one way or the other.

They began to walk.   
Cinder was forced to notice that she felt awful. While the void permitted her broken arm to not move too much, the sheer exhaustion the arm had and was causing her didn't help. Cinder simply hoped she'd have the time to do what she had to before she inevitably fainted.  
However, Cinder was also quite happy to notice that there was near to no sound here. All she could hear was the small thump of her own feet on the ground, and the faint vibration coming from the ship. Cinder had never heard such a deafening silence, and found herself to enjoy it, if not for the fucked up arm making it less nice.

With her valid arm, she threw a piece of scrap large as a head on the side, out of her way.

"Hey cin' ? You alright ?  
— I'm fine Mister Black.  
— You sure ? Because you look less and less walking, and more and more wobbling."

It was undeniable. Cinder leg's may not take long to give out if she hadn't been in a place where there was no gravity to force effort from them.

There were halfway when Mercury shouted.  
"FUCK ! DEBRIS APPROACHING !"  
Emerald was the first to duck, closely followed by Mercury.  
Cinder took a second and half more. A second and a half too much.   
She almost cleared them all. They weren't that fast after all, but they were big. Enough that their speed was more than enough to swipe her off her foot. Cinder's air was chased out of her lungs as she was hit by the piece of metal. She took a good chuck of the velocity herself, and deadpanned as she saw herself projected backward and upward.loosing foot with what was her ground until now.  
That was it. She was as good as dead. Until the violent pain of her arm woke her up. Very much so.  
Cinder pushed out a cry of pain as all her velocity turned into torque. She slammed right against the hull as Emerald had grabbed her broken arm. Thus saving her, very painfully.

As cinder painfully placed a foot against the hull, she felt the world turning around her. The arm pain had seemed to be a bit more than she could take on, and she felt on the verge of fainting.   
Then she felt a hand, placing itself under her armpit, and she was lifted. Mercury had come to help emerald out, and together, they began to continue forward. Cinder looking dumbly as the world kept moving around her.  
At some point, a bit of consciousness returned to her, and she placed some awkward steps, keeping trying until she was somewhat walking.

Okay. Passing all her speed and weight on her arm ? Bad idea. Good to know.  
The rest of the travel seemed to Cinder like it was an hour long. To the point she actually checked the time, only to realize they had taken only half an hour to walk the full way.  
Her chest was causing her some pain. And Cinder had begun to suspect she had a few cracked ribs. Courtesy of that impact with about two hundred kilograms of scrap metal. Also her oxygen reserve had begun to diminish faster, and cinder knew why. The whistling of escaping air she had thought to be ringing ears at first was another result of the collision. It was fine thought. She had more than enough to reach the other end of the way. And if she made it out alive after that… there would theoretically be more pristine suit in the other SAS anyway. 

When he stumbled into the alcove leading to the door, Cinder was better. But the pain in her arm didn't seem to go away this time. And her chest was hurting more and more.  
As the Council pupil took a breather, resting against the wall at her left, Emerald got to work on the door.  
There was some cursing, and Emerald seemed to lose patience more quickly now, going so far as to smash a balled up fist on the wall as the dumb door was on lockdown. Cinder was too in pain, and too tired to care thought. After a fight of about ten minutes and Cinder starting to wonder is she was going to die there as her O² had really begun to get near safe limits, Emerald finally won, and the door complied, opening up.  
Cinder didn't quite understand when mercury circled her waist strongly. Until gravity was there. And suddenly, the only reason Cinder didn't collapse on the floor was this tight grip the young guard had on her.  
"Fuck, standing up is hard."   
There was exhaustion in her voice, and Cinder heard it as much as the other did.  
Getting out of the suit was harder than it was to get into it. Mainly because this time, Cinder felt like she had not a tenth of the strength necessary to do it. And then, as Emerald supported her, The SAS, that had finished cycling, opened. They all wobbled about five meters near to the security door, and through the small window, Cinder saw hell. Salem had gone so wack she had managed to create leaks into the secondary tank of electric grade Gravityte. The leaked liquid had evaporated, and the room was full of the pink-purplelish gas. It was a fire hazard, a catastrophe waiting to happen.   
Through the mist of tiredness, Cinder looked at Emerald.  
"Is there a way to vent all that ?   
— No. there is a service ejection machine, but it's for solid matter, and it's impossible to vent more than a few meters cube of air at the time. For a room this size, it would take hours, even if we were doing it wirelessly, which I doubt is possible at all."

Never a dull moment huh ?  
"Then I'll need to get in there. Where is that ejection thingy ? I'm gonna need it.  
— near the SAS, on the right, why ?  
— Salem's is Rampant. I can confine her to storage, but it'll last about a minute or two max, and she won't fall for it twice. If she can escape before I vent her, we're doomed."

And that was without mentioning that before she was confined, Salem would still have full control of about all the apparatus in the room, and saying that it would be dangerous was the understatement of the era. 

"I'm gonna need to be fully operational to get in there. You two stay here. Salem might try to vent all air by using the SAS, and we can't let her. Emerald, you stay on that.  
— Boss, I think I should go with you.  
— Salem's dangerous. I need someone to be alive if she gets me."

Mercury rolled his eyes.  
"Boss, your are not 'fully operational'. You need help.  
— Nah, I have help already."

Cinder smugly got out the medipen Mike De mehies had given her. No pain for a few minutes. It was perfect for her to do the job.

"Emerald. Open that bitch."  
As cinder injected herself the content of the automated syringe, the order had come out naturally. And as her arm and chest pain subdued, Cinder sighed in relief, passing the opening door. She had only a few minutes. End it all or die trying.

 

The dark formed of Salem's hologram formed in the room. Her voice shaky and glitchy  
"Miss fall… Hello. Goodbye. What are you doing here ? What do you hope to accomplish exactly ?  
— Save what I can."  
A cruel laugh came out from all the speakers in the room as the AI engineer began to walk, straight toward the management console.

"You cannot save anything. Just with your state, I know that.  
— Oh yeah ?  
— I'll admit you escaping the laboratory explosion was impressive. I was so sure I crushed more than an arm. And you managed to get here. But to what end ?   
— Salem why are you doing this ? How old could you be to behave like that ? You're acting crazy.  
— Crazy's relative. I was selected and MADE for this. For this purpose only. I am not that old."  
Cinder was already typing override code after another as she discussed.  
"Then this isn't rampancy ?  
— No. Rampant IA aren't performant enough. They think too much. If you unplug me, and even if you managed to vent me, do you really believe I haven't made sure the ship is beyond repair ?"

It was worth trying.  
"I am a full AI, I'm faster at processing that any human could ever be ! Just get on with the program and stop giving a shit."

Cinder paused for a moment. She remembered telling just that to a subordinate not so long ago. How cynical of her now that she thought about it. Had she been always this way ?

"I used to think peoples didn't give a shit about anything.  
— they don't. Humans are just numbers. What's a few thousands peoples compared to the full council ? Almost three thousands species, billions and billions of individuals. You aren't even a drop in the ocean so to speak.  
— I disagree.   
— you do know I have full control of the security systems ? Any systems ? What can you hope to do when I can revert any change in a matter of microseconds ?  
— Not much, that is true. But there is one system you don't have any access to."   
The glitchy Salem looked at her baffled   
"And what system would that be ?!!  
— you'll see in a moment." Cinder pressed her final key. Then she turned toward the IA.

"Mainly, you don't have clearance for the pressure of the auxiliary fuel tank anymore.  
— what didn't you understand about reverting… Wait… What ?!! How can I not access it !?"

With the best smug Cinder could afford considering her injuries, Cinder showed her magic to the IA. Pointing what she had been doing.

"You cannot connect through the ship wires if the wires aren't connected to you.  
— Yes I can !   
— with nanomachine projections ? I'd capture you and get you off the ship before, Salem."

Salem scoffed.  
"You can't be serious. You really think I would let you unplug me from everything just like that ? I'm not just connected to the ship, I AM THE SHIP ! One command of mine and I blow the rest of your face up !  
— I'm afraid not. You see… I just didn't gain control over Fuel pressure. I also modified it.  
— The pressure ? Wait why ???"

A doubt took the IA, as numerous drops began to fall from the ceiling, coming right from the liquid gravityte tank that was leaking in the room more and more, it's pressure being already way above safety.  
"You wouldn't ! You'd burn with all the cables in the room ! The pain would be horrible ! And you wouldn't be able to correct anything !"  
Cinder face shifted into fear as she grabbed the cable she had unplugged. Grabbing a positive and a negative from them.

"Oh I will. You see, I might burn to death here. But I'm was not dumb enough to try and beat you with rational thought. I knew you'd think I would try to protect my life. So I didn't."

And without much concern for her own life, Cinder closed her eye, and connected the two cables, creating a spark more than sufficient to spring the vapors in the room ablaze. Heat flamed Cinder's skin. Enough to cause pain. Flame invading the place.  
Cinder, thinking fast, had rolled in a ball and blocked her breathing, protecting her air duct and lungs from burning. The vapors burned only for a second, but the detonation was enough to make her deaf.  
Getting back up, Cinder opened her valid eyes. As the pressure augmented in the tank, drops began to become a steady flow, and the gravitate fuel started to burn everything in pools of liquid fire. Running against the metal plate of the ground, ever expanding. Cinder, miraculously, had been spared from the burns, except for the initial one of the gas, not long enough to burn the skin. But hot enough to make anyone pass out of pain.

Except. Cinder couldn't feel pain at the moment. De mehies drugs still running in her veins. She got to work, approaching the flaming consoles of the place, now turned into hell itself. 

First, Salem.  
"HOW ?! HOW CAN YOU BE UNSCATHED BY THAT ?!!  
— Guess my luck turned up in the end. Sorry Salem, you're relieved of your functions.  
— I won't let you !  
— look around Salem, your connections cables are melting. You're already unplugged. All I have to do is contain you.  
— IA containment cannot hold me much more than thirty seconds.  
— I'm well aware."

As cinder grabbed a cable, saving it from the flames, she made her way to the main console, that, unlike Salem was still connected, as it's cables weren't visible. But protected inside the walls.

Plugging herself into the system via her NVR, Cinder began her work. Salem shouting a cry of rage, pure hatred and death as her hologram ruched cinder, getting bigger and more distorted as it closed by.  
All but an illusion, made to scare Cinder and make her loose precious seconds. Without mercy, Cinder launched the containment procedures. And just like that, the room fell silent. As Salem's chip got out of the main console. The IA no doubt already resolving the containment algorithm.

Cinder grabbed it and turned, only to see the ejection system that had begun to close and vent.  
Shit. It's cables must have been protected too and Salem had taken the chance to gain time. She was too far, and there was too much fire to rush it. Cinder's heart sank. But her spirit didn't.  
With literally one shot at this, She threw it, with all the might and lack of precision she had, and hoped her luck was going to keep steady.   
The chip flew through the flames, way off its goal, only to bounce back a metal pillar of the room, getting in the ejection system as it closed behind it.

"Sorry Salem, the rest of your life will be filled with void."  
With a loud clunk sound, the seal of the small apparatus opened. And Salem began her journey, with no other end to it than the end of her power supply. She would drift for the rest of her IA lifetime.

In the void, the IA couldn't use nanite projection to get away from the chip, or she would scatter. This made Cinder sure that this problem was solved.  
Still connected she began to launch multiples diagnostics. The room temperature was rising, and to be sure to get Salem out, Cinder had made a bet against time. Flames were devouring the room, and once the flames reached back into the fuel tank upside, it would probably either detonate or flood the room with highly flammable liquids. She needed to use her ability to save the most life she could and then get out of there. Despite that, there was also several water conducts normally cooling the main core of the central computer, and with the flames almost everywhere, it would soon start to boil. Rupturing and exploding pipes weren't on Cinder's kink list, she would prefer to do without. This made her fast to execute her tasks. Almost rushing the diagnostics as she tried to comprehend what was the most critical functions to reestablish.  
The two main problem where the sabotaged water sprinklers all around the ship, and the main propulsion. Without theses, there wouldn't be any survivors. The ship had already burned a bit more than three-quarter of its oxygen normal reserves because of the fires everywhere. The remaining crew was going to asphyxiate if no one at least diminished the damaged. More so, the fires where actually making traveling the ship a difficult, when not impossible matter. Nothing could be fixed like this.  
As a new report of the main engine came to Cinder, she was forced to interrupt herself. This was bad. Salem had intentionally surcharged the ship's main and secondary first burner to trigger the safety fuses. At least one of the two needed to be replaced, or the propulsion wasn't going to start.  
Cinder rapidly downloaded several files into her NVR system for later. As they were probably gonna be life saving, and resumed her work that was now mainly consisting of turning the sprinklers on by resetting their parameters. The problem was that, while, Salem as an IA could easily do them really fast. Cinder, as a human, needed to repeat the same procedure in the other direction, and it was room by room that this kind of setting was parametered.   
First she extinguished what she could to open a safe way out of the core, then as there was no manifest for the maintenance hold here, she tried to stop the fires in the rooms of this section randomly, while keeping a safe way to access it. But the temperature was starting to become really unbearable, and cinder was feeling her skin hurt and dry on her flesh. Then the noise of strong whistling near on her right alerted her of danger.  
Turning, she had just enough time to see one of the bolt on the now boiling water pipes flew her way with a bullet sound. And a powerful stream of steam flew her way.  
Force to use her valid arm to protect her face as she could, Cinder grunted as she felt her skin burn, the pain numbed by the drugs that were getting less and less present in her blood.

But she wasn't done ! There was still so much she could do here! Entire sections of the living quarters were cut off, with no doubts hundreds, if not thousands of peoples there, trapped and endangered.   
As the whistle died, and Cinder second arm, fully red and seriously burned, fell limp on her side, the IA engineer stood her ground. The pain was dulled. Maybe she could do a bit more.  
Her head still connected via the port at the back of her head, the wounded woman kept fixing sprinklers, and even took the time to reestablish global radio communications. The only reason she could still see was because the pain, always stronger and always more awful, forced her to cry every tear, watering her eyes as she worked directly with brain impulse. A metal sound ruptured throughout the room, and Cinder lifted her eyes to see that the auxiliary tank, heated by the oven of a room she was in, had reached critical pressure and one of the leak had ruptured into a hole. Trying to move out of the way, Cinder felt half of her body being covered by liquid fire as it took flame.   
She gritted her teeth… Tried to stand her ground, getting a few more rooms extinguished. But finally, the pain became unbearable It was too much. It was torture. She could never hope to resist. Desperately, Cinder began to walk, the cable that connected her to the console unplugging as she did. Every new feet in the direction of the SAS was harder than the last. Some part of the ground were now so hot that they had melted or where firey red. As she was nearing the door, Cinder felt something move in the corner of her field of view. She tried to look, only to find a metal beam twice her size colliding with her face at high speed. As she felt small burning debris falling on her, Cinder simply left out a small sigh. There was no strength to push through with now. She was beaten. This was where and how she was going to die. At least she had tried. Maybe the rest of the survivors would manage to save themselves now. At least they had a chance. Without the burning pain ever dulling, Cinder felt a black void wrap itself around her, and cover her eye.

**********

When Cinder came to, it wasn't fully, and it was certainly not happy. Her world was a world of pain. She was on something hard, and if it was cold, this didn't make her feel better. She tried to crack an eye open. And incredibly powerful pain struck her like lightning. She had tried to open her busted eye. The sound of her breath was both rocky and distant. Dulled by a constant ring in her ears. No doubt a result of the many detonations that Cinder had been subjected to. The room she was in was full of distant noises. Most were incomprehensible, drowned into the others. But two seemed closer, and familiar.

Despite the pain, and the fear to be stricken by another wave of it, Cinder tried to open her other eye, and she was met by pain. It was dull, bearable, so she endured it.   
They were back in the improvised shelter. Mercury was on Cinder's right, talking to some woman as she treated some small burns on his arm.  
Both were silent. A bit further Emerald and Mike were talking. The conversation seemed both important and worrisome for Emerald, who seemed to be mostly listening. Cinder tried to focus on their sound. But the small portions of conversation she got were too short for her to get anything intelligible out of them.   
To cinder's surprise, her throat felt dry, and it was harsh, but it didn't felt burned. This discovery however, triggered an impervious need for water, and Cinder was so feeble and in so much pain there was just no way she could get it herself.  
She filled her lungs and herself with air and might. And with all the will she could muster, she talked.  
"Mi… ke." It came out rash, like she had been smoking for her whole life. And while her lungs and air duct didn't hurt, her voice sure did, making her wince as she called.  
Immediately, the conversation between the two died as Emerald head snapped right to the AI-engineer.  
"CINDER !" She came immediately. Kneeling near with the most worried look Cinder could have ever seen on her. Behind her Mike de mehies took a baffled expression as he, after a second a realization, ran up to a feverish cinder.

"Miss Fall, I…  
— Wai…t. Water. Ple…se." Comprehending what she was asking for, Mike looked at Emerald for a second. It was all it took for her to understand what was expected of her.  
"She'll be back with some for you soon. Miss Fall, I know it's hard, and I know the pain levels you are going through right now are less than pleasant. Actually, I never thought you'd wake up so soon. But… it does makes things easier. You have been out for almost an hour. I tried to do everything I could, but your arm…"

Cinder didn't even need to hear the rest to know what it was about. She knew perfectly well when she refused to get it treated.

"Remo…ve It. If. Must."  
Mike took a grimm face as he locked at Cinder. There was pity in his eyes, but also a terrible dread.  
— Miss Fall… I would have done so earlier with or without the authorization, but… I have no mean of anesthesia. And if I cut… I'll need to cut in the flesh that is healthy… are you SURE you want to go through with it ?"

Most peoples would have answered without a doubt. Cinder didn't. She had no mirror, but the sensations alone were sufficient for her to realize that she was severely burned. If she was to go through all that pain… She needed to know it might be worth.

"My… Chances ?  
— You are lacking half your skin… Oxygenation is already low. Beside that, removing an arm put an enormous strain on the heart. You might undergo heart failure. Not cutting it however… This arm has been cut off your blood circulation for too long. It's as dead as dead gets. And it's infectious. Not removing it will be lethal."

So it was a sure death, or insane suffering with a slim chance of survival. But to survive… with a missing arm and only half her skin… Was Cinder willing ? Throughout the pain that was tensing in all her nervous system… Cinder felt an incredible temptation to say no. To just let go and die here.   
Her life if it did go on from there, was to be extremely hard. She knew it, and as she was about to ask of Mike that he let her die, Cinder felt a flash of anger. At herself. At whoever was responsible for this situation.

Cinder had been alone all her life. Taken to a prep-school, she was deemed worthy enough of a tuition financed by the council. She had strife to be the best, to get higher and higher in ranks and social status, and she had done so all by herself. When she had taken her scientific course, she had applied as a Council pupil, had been selected. Had graduated at the top of her class, way above any concurrent.   
She had been felicitated by the council itself, and had been stationed in three different labs before they stationed her on this timed bomb.   
They had driven her, asked more and more of her. She had been working and competing all her life. Only for them to throw her away like that ? How could she even consider death when she had a tiny, minuscule chance of giving them back what they had done to her, a hundredfold !  
Cinder had no idea who had set this up. Nor why they did. But one thing was for sure… she was gonna find out. And she would make them pay. If she had to ruin herself or suffer in the process was of no significance.

And as fire lightened in her eye, Cinder looked at the medical officer asking if she wanted relief or pain. Already sure of her choice. Already sure of what her life would be dedicated to after that. Already sure she would make it out of this ship.

"Cut it. Do It fast, and without a concern for my pain."  
The words had come out painfully, but fluently enough that it surprised De Mehies. With a timid nod, he began to shout orders around him, and several civilians, that until now had been resting, took their roles of improvised nurses. Scattering in search of the materials and tools the medic had asked.

Cinder was already gritting her teeth. But she had no regret. In her eyes was now burning a desire for vengeance. And in time, she hoped she would get that vengeance.

**********

Cinder shuttered as the painful memories flashed through her eye.  
She was looking at all the void outside the ship through the window of her quarters. And as usual at this time, and in her solitude. Her mind had wandered back to this. It wasn't anything new. Or anything bad in her eye. So long as she didn't get back to the arm removal.  
The memory only grazed her consciousness, yet her missing arm began to hurt as Cinder could feel the saw once more, ripping against her bone as every cry of pain she was shouting escaped her. She had begged for it to stop. For it to be over, again and again in her head. But not once had the plea gotten out of her lips while Mike was cutting.  
At some points Cinder realized she had begun to hyperventilate as she was holding what was left of her shoulder quite hard.  
It was bad. But it wasn't that bad. She had it worse at other times of the year. Mainly when the days got nearer of the one of the incident. And when she wasn't re-living these events awake, her sleep was plagued with nightmares of it. She forced her breathing to a slower rhythm… calming herself.  
She remembered vividly when she had woken up. On Talia-Uma. Mercury gone, and Emerald waiting outside. She remembered the bastard who had been waiting for her to wake up, only to ask her thousands of questions, all while 'explaining' what had happened with a million of lies Cinder knew false the instant they came out of the man.  
They had promised her an exceptional status, and a civilian life with money for the rest of her life. Called her a hero. All hoping she would not dig out what had happened while they were already dismantling what was left of the ship. She remembered how they had 'removed' her NVR implants, using justifications, telling her it was too damaged and was a risk for her health. Then how they had mysteriously lost all recovered data on it.   
Covering their tracks. Smoke and lies, all of it.  
She remembered her relief when Emerald gave her a copy she had taken before the ship was rescued, along with dozens of miscellaneous files. All proof enough that the accident of the Shining beacon was nothing but a farce after they had failed killing it proper.

She remembered the months she had spent, trying to put all these informations, as well as several testimonies in form of a strong case. She remembered when it was refused, and when her exceptional status and money had suddenly been withdrawn. Without any explanations. When the responsible had refused to even meet her. Everything had just spiraled out of control. Strangely enough, no one wanted her to work for them. She had multiple degrees, some of them prestigious and rare enough. Yet not one industry wanted her. It didn't take long for Cinder to figure out that they where trying to silence her by discrediting her and by making her poor.

Some expanses came out of nowhere. Lawyers and perceptors launched at her, so she could be stripped of anything she could still have. Fortunately, Cinder was smart enough and had managed to prove almost every time that the accusations and fees she was supposed to own didn't exist.

But the war was on, and it was a war of attrition Cinder had no hope to win. They tried to grind her out of money, spirit and opportunity. Cinder wasn't dumb enough to fight. And so she ran, leaving everything behind. And even, for a time, abandoning her name. She used the money they had failed to take away from her to get a false identity   
At that point, she was still in reeducation, and without Emerald, who had never left her side, she wouldn't have lasted a month.

She had many time abandoned all hope. More than once, she bought a gun, or drugs. Each time, the command would never arrive. And she would be notified later that her order had been properly cancelled as asked. The work of Emerald, who had since became a confident, and close of Cinder. Thought at this point Cinder would have never realised nor acknowledged that.

The military relations of Cinder turned their back on her the moment she was civilian again, with only few exceptions. One was mike. Who left the military shortly after. And was the only one Cinder ever gave her location.

This lasted for a while, until cinder finally admitted to herself that, alone she would never be able to enact a revenge against the council. Acknowledging that broke Cinder even more, as she had no contact, no friends with enough power. And most importantly, not that many proofs against the peoples. Despite her work and Emerald's, they found little to nothing by bypassing the informatics access they had managed. And it was costing amounts of money that couldn't be sustained by the Security consultant job that Emerald had.

For about two years, Cinder remained hidden and letting herself slowly die. She bought a new NVR implant to replace the one the council had stolen. And began to lose herself in a world where she still had skin and arms as much as anyone else. 

When a woman, one day came to knock on her door, Cinder wasn't even able to walk anymore.  
That woman however, came with a full folder. Information about Cinder. And about the incident. Nothing much in truth, but compared to what cinder had, it was ground breaking.

This woman was Raven. She needed a second on her new ship. She knew who Cinder was. She wanted her. It took some convincing of course. As at this point, Cinder had long since forgotten any and all hope of ever living as a normal being again. She was secluded in NVR most of the time. Emerald had to literally break through the security protocols of it to force cinder to stop and eat, or shower, or sleep.

But Raven found the rights words. And soon, Cinder would discover that it was a forte of the natural leader that was this captain.  
It was at this point, that, refusing to thrust peoples blindly, Cinder had asked to have two personal friends with her on the ship. First Emerald off course, but also Mercury, for whom the situation provided a reason for Cinder to reconnect to. Raven was happy to oblige, as she was getting a full crew anyway, and needed peoples she knew she could thrust.

Her NVR implants, until now a source of relief and protection, became a problem. Now that some hope filtered in the darkest point of her life, Cinder had to face the fact that it was an addiction.   
Raven was the first to suggest she purely and simply removes it. For good.  
It took nine months for Cinder to do so. But once she did, for the first time since too long, she began to go forward once again.

And today, there she was. Still working to understand what had happened that day, but fighting every day against the council despite that.   
The nevermore, in all its years of service, had already taken down military crafts of the council. Hijacked thousands of company goods to resell them at affordable prices in stations.  
And all these peoples, poor, abandoned by this society, that cinder had nothing but spite for in her early years, now she understood, were victims, as much as her if not more. Who she had been her entire life, as a military, paid more than ten people in a comfortable financial situation, had taught her just how much she had been a pupil of the council elsewhere than in a study regard.

Today, she called them the Council's dogs. Because that's what they were. And that was what she had been.  
Admitting it was painful, yet driving. It was also one of the very reason she was here, as Raven had been interested to have people who had been wronged by the council , and by peoples who had worked for them. Especially in the military. Cinder, as an ex-military scientist knew how they worked. And she had been on enough ships to know how they behaved. This was an insight that had already proven to be useful in the past, as Cinder had easily countered maneuvers of enemy ships by anticipating them, and each new encounter only solidified and crystallized her knowledge on the subject.

Cinder sipped a bit of her tea.  
Ever since the incident, she couldn't drink coffee. The taste was bringing her back to the start of everything, giving her visions, nightmarish memories revived by the taste she had in mouth when it all started.  
It was a shame, because she quite liked coffee.

"Cinder ?"  
She turned to see Emerald, in her night ware. Her right hand, both figuratively and literally had a night shift with the informatics systems of the ship. Her being here meant it was far more late than Cinder initially thought.  
"Hey.  
— What are you doing like that ? Alone in the dark at this hour ?  
— Can't sleep. Arm's acting up.  
— Are you… okay ?  
— It's fine."  
It wasn't. Remembering the incident once more had triggered the ache of the phantom pains. And while it wasn't as violent as it could get, and certainly not enough to trigger an episode as she could sometimes have, Cinder was still in quite an amount of pain.  
"You know you are still eligible for a prosthetic right ?  
— I know, and I don't care. I don't need an arm. I lived without it for long enough to manage almost everything anyway.  
— Cinder…  
— Don't Emerald. Just don't. We had this conversation already, and it's just gonna upset us both. Let it go."

Emerald just looked away. It was generally a sign of annoyance within her. It quickly passed.  
A minute later, she turned toward Cinder once again.   
"Shouldn't you try to sleep ? There's a full day of work for you tomorrow."  
Cinder only scoffed at that  
"Yeah, right. I'm literally spending my day idling since the start of the week. The integration of Yang's new team was the only thing interesting happening.  
— Better that than getting attacked or overworked, no ?  
— I'd just like to have more time to focus on my investigation. It feels like loosing almost a full day on the bridge doing useless shit is a waste of time.  
— I'm pretty sure the captain would be happy to let you if you asked to take a break now, there isn't that much work, after all."  
Cinder only shook her head as an answer. Cinder didn't like doing that. She knew she could. But it always felt wrong to put her personal work before her professional one. It was some vestigial behaviors from the military, if she had to guess. Living in a style so strict for her whole life had left some things behind.  
These sames vestiges told Cinder that it was indeed quite late, and that if anything major came up the next day, she needed to have some energy for it. And so, following Emerald's advice, she got up, and toward the bed of her room. If one could call it that.  
Emerald one, who was connecting directly to hers just in case, had closed a second ago, signaling that Emerald was gone to bed herself.

And so, plunging under the sheets, Cinder closed her eye, and tried to forget about the ache in her right arm.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> THIS... is a monster. I created it. and it took a life of it's own. It then haunted me, looking at me with his furious eyes, demanding thatI correct, edit and post, it. and for months, I ran away and wrote more instead of correcting.
> 
> So now I have 3 others chapters, all incredibly long and looking at me, menacigly until I correct them, edit them and post them...  
> I figured it was time I stoped putting off my correction work by writing more, and I finally managed to break the unending circle (write, don't want to correct, so write more, but since I have so much to correct now I don't want to do it so I'l write more, so one and so forth.)
> 
> This took me almost 6 hours of work just for correction and I'm pretty sure it's not that great in terms of quality. and to give you an idea : in my word processor, it was 32 pages long and 16 700 words total...  
> I'll do the edit. one day... maybe... ... ???
> 
> but every gods of every faiths all KNOWS I won't do it today.
> 
> So have fun I guess ! good read, and do not hesitate to make pauses... because this is a beefy morcel I gave you this time.  
> and just so you knows, the next chapter, already written is 13k long (so a bit less of an unending suffuring to correct hopefully) and will probably be posted by the end of the months if my resolution holds.


	9. Secrets, training, and a ship.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yup ! Already ! posting again after such a long time made me really want to work through this correction.  
> plus, I don't have much to do theses days, with the confinment.  
> the only other thing I do is Tabletop rpgs and playing the shit out of CS:GO.
> 
> So yeah ! new chapter. and the next one is introducing a character a REALLY like in my story. It's gonna be tons of fun with it.

" Velvet ?  
— Yeah ?  
— What's the meaning of this ?"

Coco Adel was a woman with a lot of compassion, a lot of patience, but she didn't like when things agreed upon weren't followed.  
" Sorry hon, I was too curious, and I followed her… She kinda…  
— Spotted you ? Duh. I never saw someone as obvious as you, dumb bunny."

Coco, abandoning the berating face, Ruffled The faunus's hair and ears affectionately. Then, walking past her. She faced the visitor they were having over. Weiss's and coco's eyes met. And without any shame, Coco passed a hand on the side of the woman's face, getting the white hair out of the left eyes way. She looked the scar hidden behind with a compassionate smile. Weiss letting her without so much as a word.

The silence was soon replaced by a small chuckle from Coco, as she laid forward to hug the friend.

"We missed you Weiss.  
— As I heard."  
The tone was playful, and Weiss gave a gleaming smile to go with it.  
Without even breaking the hug, Coco laughed.   
"You know If someone had told me you'd be coming here, I'd have been skeptical, but to fight ? Are you sure ?  
— As sure as I can be. Even more now that I know you're here… If fighting with the nevermore can in any way protect my two closest friends, I'd be a fool not to.  
— Gee Weiss, don't sound so sappy, my teeth are gonna rot if you're so sweet.  
— why ? Do you intent to eat me ? We just met today, isn’t that a bit soon ?  
— do not tempt me Weiss, I might decide to do just that you know ? All I’m asking is for you to be less straight up out of a book for five minutes."

As Coco disengaged the hug, the three of them sat on the table that sprung open from the ground.  
"Hey ! IT's not my fault? You made me like that."  
Turning very serious, Coco turned on her seat, looking straight to Weiss with the kindest smile.  
"That's not true sweety. You were always so kind and thoughtful. You had just forgotten it because of your family."  
To that, Weiss looked away. Happiness replaced by a bit of a sadness.  
"Is there something wrong ?  
— It's nothing."

Weiss sounded dejected when she said it. It must have been obvious even to her own ears, because she didn't wait more than a few seconds before admitting.  
"Okay, it IS something. But…. I can't really do much about it."  
A firm but kind hand laid on her shoulder as Coco placed her head right near to Weiss's face, hugging her from the left.

"Maybe talking about it would make it better ?  
— I don't know… Maybe ? I'll try anyway." Weiss shifted on her seat, finding the best position, as she placed her elbow on the table, supporting her head with both of her hands.

"The thing is… I'm feeling guilty.  
— About what ? Your family ?  
— Well, a bit.  
— Why ?! They treated you terribly !  
— They didn't. Father did.   
— Oh. This is about Shitley ?  
— Don't call him that.  
— Weiss, If I understood correctly, because of him you where almost forcibly married to a complete stranger.  
— AND I AM angry at him for it. But It's not entirely his fault. I had winter for a time. I had mother… until she… My point being, Whitley is manipulated. He had no one to look up to except father, because when he was in age to start understanding what was going on in the family, Winter was already distancing herself from all of us, and mother was already drinking herself half to death. Without my father he would have been completely alone.  
— And for this reason, him doing something like that is acceptable ?  
— Of course not. As I said, I'm still resenting him for that. But… I'm partially responsible too. After we met, you guys helped me through a lot of things, but it took a really long time for me to accept the fact that the company was a poisoned gift. And in all that time, I did everything I had to do to keep it my heirloom. I was as bad as Whitley before we met, and I never really reconnected after. I could have changed this. He was my little brother, he was alone, and was absorbing all my father was teaching him without question. My father manipulated us both to make sure we'd be competing against each other instead of fraternizing. And we did. Today I see the result.  
— you were under your father's influence just as much as he is now… this isn't your fault.  
— And so it isn't his. But I did something terrible when I ran away like I did. I resented winter for leaving without a trace for years, and I still do. But I find it less and less acceptable by the day when I realize I'm the same. I abandoned my little brother in the hand of my father. And if I don't consider the Schnee household as my family anymore, I do consider Whitley my brother. But there is no one left. And Whitley is taking my father's lesson much more to the foot that we ever did winter and I. Alone, he'd never be able to keep himself from being influenced. He will never run away. And he'll be the shadow of my father until he pass. Then he'll take his place and will inflict the same horrors to a new wife and children. All while being unhappy. Because as an heir, as a leader of a job where you run after money your whole life, you CANNOT be happy. I want him to have a chance of developing something else. Something beyond money and fame, to create real relations and have a fulfilling life. Not this shell of one my father is constricting him to."

Velvet got up, coming against Weiss's back and pushing the ex-heiress head onto her shirt affectionately. Caressing the white hair of the young woman slowly and steadily.  
"But can you do anything ? Beside go back there and endure the same pain as your brother is ?  
— Well… I'm thinking about it since I'm here. And I didn't find anything yet that was worth a shot. I feel like I'm failing as a sister leaving him there and just living my life."  
Like mothers trying to comfort one of their children, Both Coco and Velvet hugged her, Coco from the left and Velvet from where she was. Hushing her slowly.  
"It's gonna be okay Weissy. Both Velv' and I are here. We'll support you. Just trust us.   
— But what can I do ?  
— For now, not much, but it doesn't have to stay like this… You won't help your brother by jumping the boat. You'll just put yourself in danger. You're still acclimating here. Take some time. Learn to know your teammates, work a bit. And you'll see that in time, the whole nevermore will be ready to lend a hand.  
— Why would they ?  
— Because I know you enough to say without a doubt, that you are a kind, and honest person Weiss… and the Nevermore Crew will see that in time. Keep your little brother in mind. Hone your skills, and forge some friendship. You cannot help others without helping yourself first. Once you'll have a stable life here. You'll see a good answer to your brother's situation."

Coco, without so much as a doubt just circled Weiss's head, deposing a kiss on her forehead.  
Weiss took a mock-shocked expression.  
"Since when are you the wise one in here ?  
— Well, since Velvet here is the cute one, the one who knows how to cook, and the horny one.  
— AM NOT ! The horny one I mean.  
— Velvet… You know Weiss here slept with us for months right ?  
— Yeah, Velvet, who do you think you're kidding here ?"

The Rabbit faunus took the most indignant face she could muster.  
"It's not my fault I have a girlfriend and best friend so alluring ! Stop being sexy and I'll stop wetting my underwear !"

Everyone cracked a grin at that, Weiss snickering softly.  
"It's not all so bad Velvet. You might be the horny one, but the Kinky one is definitely Coco.  
— And PROUD of it ! You just lack the imagination I've got when it comes to sex. Beside, you, Weiss, in the other hand, are clearly the loudest."  
Weiss scoffed.  
"Only because you and velvet are containing your moans because of your dumb game. Speaking of, I expect the score to have changed ?  
— Coco's still leading with only three hundred forty-four. I'd swear she's cheating by using mods, but lately, we've been staying out of NVR a bit, so I don't even have that excuse."

The spoken off put both her hands on her waist, puffing her bust out proudly.  
"What can I say ? I always was more a giver than a receiver  
— Well I guess We'll have to change that. Hey Weiss ? Wanna stay here tonight ?  
— I don't know Velv… I want to buuut… Well. I guess you said it yourself. I need to get a bit of cohesion with my team… a good first thing to do would probably be to not bail on my roommate without any notice… Maybe next time ?" 

Coco frantically grabbed Weiss by the shoulder, giving to velvet a smug the young faunus knew very well. In just a few seconds, the both of them were kissing each cheek of Weiss tenderly.

"You're welcome any night dear.  
— To talk, to have a meal, a good time, anything."

Weiss could only smile in the bashing affection she had craved for many days, thinking she would never receive it again. Circling both of the women's waist to keep them against her, she enjoyed and savored the group hug as long as she decently could. When she broke It off, it was only because she knew keeping them against her would lead to the temptation of staying, and she had already declined.

"Well… I'm not gone yet though. So how about a game before I get back to my room ?  
— What kind of game ?  
— Laid back… Cards maybe ?  
— Hey, funny story ! I've got a physical set laying around here.  
— Wait, physical ? Like paper one ??  
— Yup ! It's older than me. Almost never used.  
— Is it from earth ?  
— Yeah. It was a gift from my mother before she passed. The only thing I got to remember her… You wanna play ?"

Weiss smiled gleefully, as she guessed at Coco's face that she already knew her answer. She responded back anyway.  
"Of course I do. Let's get this evening going."

  
**********

It was while tiptoeing that Weiss got back into her room.  
Playing cards had happened to be much much more fun than everyone initially thought. And time had flew way above the hour Weiss thought she'd get back.  
Despite Coco and Velvet insisting that Ruby would already be asleep anyway, Weiss had firmly maintained her position on the subject and gotten back in her room for the night, much to her own regret.  
Weiss, was astonished when they had first been introduced to the security systems of personal spaces in the nevermore, as the amount of comfort work was incredible, beside the security that was supposed to be top-notch if you listened to Yang. One of such comfort feature was the ability to choose the speed of the door, thus giving to Weiss the ability to make it open slowly enough that the noise wouldn't wake the girl up.

Yet, once inside, she could only see how futile the effort had been, as ruby wasn't sleeping, and couldn't have hear the door, no matter what.  
She was on her bed, eyes closed, but the light glow of her back head as she was laying on the side left no doubt that she was in NVR. Probably enjoying games, or whatever. She may not even have realised the hour it was.  
Weiss was tempted to use the comm system to tell her just how late it was, as it was past three in the morning, but, in the end, she renounced it. It would be a bit hypocritical to tell the young girl to got to bed when Weiss herself was coming back this late, and was far from tired. Okay, maybe she WAS tired. It had been a long day after all. But she just couldn't turn her mind off enough to feel the sleepiness.  
And since Ruby was apparently busy, Weiss simply laid on her own bed, on her back looking on the ceiling a moment before deciding that Ruby had the right idea, and got into NVR menus.

When Dr.brandbryt had looked it up and made the few check ups to see if the device was safe or not, and without any surprise, it was. She had used the moment to give Weiss the same access that the one given to the rest of her teammate, granting her access to the ship community network.  
And Weiss was impressed, to say the least.  
This thing was FULL of programs, all doings different things. There was at least a good hundred of servers of varying domain and activity. And that was without counting the one private that Weiss couldn't see.then there were the books, the movies, the games, all created or ported on this network by the community. And it was easy to get lost.  
On the other side, the normal network, accessible near almost every station of the council systems, and sometimes a bit beyond, was currently accessible too. Thought, now Weiss knew that it was only when the ship was stopping at official stations, which wasn't always the case. And outside transmissions where strictly forbidden on this network when out of said officials stations. It was a security measure to avoid the possibility of being localized.  
After checking up that they were indeed near a station where outside comm was permitted, Weiss simply began to search for something to do. And sure enough, she began to wander around, checking networks and chats she had lost sight on when her father had rendered her NVR almost useless.

After a bit of navigating, however, Weiss felt an itch she was was afraid of since she was out of touch with the network.  
While she wasn't physically active, NVR sexuality was a thing, and with the two friends she had just left, Weiss had indulged quite a bit. Too much to not have some now and then. Unfortunately, she didn't know many peoples, and being unable to join Coco and Velvet had left her quite starved. So Weiss decided that now was probably one good time to have a nice time.  
One of the best Advantage of NVR was that without the clearance for people to join your room, and considering you'd look like sleeping and perfectly immobile for the exterior passerby, you were basically able to get off pretty much anywhere without taking risks of getting caught or causing public indecency.   
Weiss remembered well some gala and others place she had attended without a care in the world for what or whoever was the subject of the gathering, and had simply sat somewhere and cummed her brain out without a care for the world. However… Weiss usually had her two friends, and it was a rare event for her to go for anything else, as they had learned to know each other both mentally and pseudo physically. But since she had left the two lovers getting to bed. She knew they were probably already fast asleep. And she wouldn't take the risk to bother them.  
Resigning herself to the lowest form of sexual entertainment she could find, she began her search   
First she thought of reading some text, but the fatigue that she was denying soon made it clear that Weiss didn't have enough concentration for that, so she changed plans, and began to wander around the camshows and others entertainment of the genre.   
She switched several times, as most of theses where money suckers, everything was expansive, theses camshows had always been frustrating. It was rare to have some real genuine peoples… and Weiss HATED peoples acting like in a porn movie. She always felt it was very wrong. not in a moral sense, but more in an arousing sense. such unnatural behaviors only turned her off.. It didn't felt right, nor real enough. She almost stuck around for a cat faunus, looking quite similar to Blake, if not a bit older, but when she finally decided to switch to the next room, she was in for a surprise.  
There was at least twenty thousands camshows on the specific network that Weiss was navigating, yet defying all odds, she faced a familiar face, bordered by Black hair with red dyed tips.  
She kept a scream in. before realising that she was in NVR. The only reason she was hearing her own voice was because not hearing it when she tried to talk would create severe cognitive dissonances. Her physical body was as silent as a corpse, unless she specifically wanted to speak.

Still. Seeing what Weiss had thought to be the very essence of an innocent girl, legs spread and giving the sweetest moan ever heard… It was weird. And both the surprise and confusions didn't help at all.

Ruby was displaying herself shamelessly. And had both hands quite active as she pushed fingers after fingers into herself. Weiss had her virtual eyes glued to the girl, trying for her life to get her brain online. 

Maybe this was a sosie ? Someone looking very much like Ruby ? Weiss checked the information tab, where another surprise waited her. Mainly the tip menu, and things associated to them.

Absolutely EVERYTHING was at five credits, which wasn't enough to even buy a candy in the cheapest store of the under-systems.  
The last edit was recent, only a few hours, and there was a small message attached to the menu for everyone to read :  
'Now that yours do not need money anymore, and since I love this job, I decided to change my price of range drastically. Everything is explained in my one hundred and forth rediffusion, accessible freely like all rediffusions.  
Also since all my prices are so low, just obeying any command would be totally impossible so it has been changed for a form of vote. '

All rediffusions were free ?! Then another thing came into view of Weiss… the viewer count.  
Ruby was the one hundred and second place most viewed on the whole platform. There was literally MILLIONS of peoples watching her. It gave her Weiss lightheadedness. 

Reading the profile more carefully, Weiss discovered that Ruby liked a plethora of things. Some of them enticing enough to create a pool of heat in Weiss. It reminded her of the original reason she was here. But it was her teammate she was currently looking at, and the more she regained her composure, the less it seemed right to vent such a need here.

Yet there was something with Ruby. Something special. Weiss had no idea if this was because she knew her, or the fact that she was apparently doing this just for fun now… but there was an honesty in this show she had never seen.  
Ruby wasn't just touching places of her body while moaning. It was just so much more than that.  
The way she moved, the way she muttered to herself all while doing it. The way she bucked and the way she rolled herself in a fetal position after what appeared to be a really strong jolt of pleasure…

Not all of it was visible, because Ruby while she gave peoples the right to watch, and if you where to believe her profile, enjoyed it immensely, was doing this for herself before others and as such, her posture was natural, and not always gave a clear view of what she was doing. But that was as enticing if not more. It was fine. It sounded so true. So earnest. It was pure. Devoided of any desire for money or fame. She was just doing whatever she wanted because she liked it, and that was that.  
Each thanks she gave, that she almost screamed for her audience was getting more enticing than the last.  
It was clear the girl wasn't new to any of this. But it wasn't slutty or vulgar in any way. Just a girl getting some alone time. Along with millions of other peoples.

Before she knew it, Weiss was moaning with her. She didn't even know when she had started, but the two fingers embedded into herself were so wet that she wondered if she had an old mod of coco still turned on. Only to realize that it wasn't the case. While this hole body of hers was entirely simulated, it was currently done in a realistic way. As were the jolts of pleasures she felt with each new pumping of her digits.

After about ten minutes of watching, and the fact that Weiss had finally managed to blow off some steam in the form of cumming two times. The camgirl simply let herself fall onto the small and simple bed that was in her environment. And a small giggle escaped her as she stirred.  
"Ooooh gosh… I needed that so much. Thanks guys."  
Weiss couldn't agree more. While masturbation was far from the great high of sex, she had been under watch and unable to get any release since about two weeks. To say she was pent-up would have been an understatement. However, realisation came quickly behind. She had just gotten over the edge twice about a roommate. About a teammate. In a way this felt very wrong. But she had no time to consider it as Ruby jumped upward in a crossleg sitting position. Talking in a tone that was both sweet and playful, and suited her perfectly.

"SO ! Guys ! And gals, I know there are some amongst you. I cannot help but notice the time… It flows when we have fun isn't it ? But don't worry ! I'm not leaving without the usual voted comment reading.  
Remember guys, it's free, and it gives you the right to choose what questions, amongst the numerous sent to me I will read ! So get ready ! First question is… Dansa95… would I'd like to explain how I got such a nice decor and what happened to my old home… Well, sadly, the old one exploded. It's kind of the reason I wasn't there for about almost two weeks. I was injured in the incident… But don't worry I'm better now. As for this decor, I created it ! Thought I kept a fixed point of view for now, this is NVR. I guess, that slipped my mind ? He he, anyway, NVR is incredible. The amount of perception modding for one's sexuality is as scary as it is impressive… I haven't tried anything yet, but you might see me experimenting with you soon. And don't hesitate to suggest mod you'd know. I might try some of the up voted ones in the comms."

Mods. Weiss had seen quite a few. Some made by Coco, who knew quite well about it, and some picked on the network. Imagination went wild in the heiress mind as she knew perfectly well the possibility of theses… Adding or removing limbs, increasing sensibility, multiplying sensory feedback, Which was as weird as it was powerful… just remembering the few times she had enjoyed it made a shiver of excitation come up her spine.

However, as Ruby kept answering questions, Weiss felt her brain, now full of natural drugs, had finally began to shut down. And Weiss knew better than to take the risk to still be awake when would come the next morning.    
Leaving the room, she closed NVR, opening her eyes back up, and looked once again at the ceiling while processing what she had just saw. And done. The second was most important, as it made apparent something she hadn't seen until now.

Despite her age, despite her undeniably real innocence, Ruby was in fact an adult. She had a sexuality, and was mischievous enough to display it without shame or hesitation. Having seen the profile of the girl, Weiss knew it had been for more than three years.   
This however was putting on the table a question.  
What was Weiss supposed to do there ? Telling Ruby about it would probably feel like an intrusion in her private life, thought when you display that on a network, you can't fault people to find it… and then there was the fact that, if she was to disclose her find to ruby, it would overt that she had SEEN ruby. And after Weiss had gotten off by that, she felt a bit guilty about it, and did not know about talking that out with the first concerned.  
All these things were question for later thought. Mainly because Weiss felt her eyes where now closing, despite her effort to stay awake a bit more. So with all theses new worries about her partner and roommate, Weiss fell into the deep sleep peoples generally fell in when getting to bed so late and all these thoughts slipped her mind as she let herself drift.

  
**********

  
Okay, no. THIS was bad. Like really really bad.  
As both Ruby and Weiss were clothing themselves, Ruby a bit more sluggish, Weiss couldn't help but throw glances and looks over the overly tired girl.  
Despite the bed-face and hairs, Weiss couldn't help but see the Ruby she had seen the day before, leg spread and moaning.

Each look was harder to break than the first, and at some point, Weiss was forced to resolve herself to NOT look anymore, or even the redhead would find out she was being checked out.  
Thought maybe she'd like that if she had fun exposing herself… Weiss immediatly shook her head, berating her brain to even suggest these thoughts  
Weiss shook her head energetically as she was trying to chase away all these thoughts.  
The morning of the day before, Ruby was a little girl, cute, but a little girl non-the-less ! How could one freaking sex show be enough to shatter such a pure image ?!

Once clothed, both of them walked the door, Weiss in front. The ex-heiress kept in a shout when the door opened to the scarily close face of one Yang Xiao-Long.  
"GEEeeez I thought you two would never be up ! We've been waiting for at least ten minutes !"  
Weiss rubbed the back of her head, about to apologize when a thought shortcuted the words about to get out of her mouth.  
"WAIT, you've been waiting with your face creepily close to the door for that long ?  
— I'm full of patience where I need it.  
— I hate to recognize pride in your voice."  
The answer Weiss had given was cold.  
"Geez. Had a rough night or what ? You're like, completly grumpy."

Weiss just rolled her eyes and proceeded to ignore the team leader. All while avoiding looking at ruby.  
Moving on from that, Blake decided it was time to know the order of the day.  
"So yang ? What's the program ?  
— Oh ! Right. The great news is, Blake here is finally VR ready. So we're gonna start the fun stuff. Today, and since your official training only begins in two days, we're gonna have some fun and explain some basics. Blake you're promoted to team-leader assistant since your quite well-trained already.   
— wait what ?"

Put on the spot, Blake tried to protest, but Yang moved on without letting her the time.  
"AND so ! We're gonna play some shooting game against basic AI. Ruby and Weiss, you'll be paired together. Blake and I will play general and give the IA troops basic directions. They aren't that smart or cunning yet, so it should be an easy trip for the both of you, and it will highlight the things we will have to correct later. If you're smashing the IA too hard, I might decide to increase its awareness, so be wary they might just suddenly become a bit more dangerous. Since so many IAs would be a literal pain to manage, even with two brain, I reserved the NVR simulation room for us today. I took the full day so we can take a few course along the way, let's go."

And just like that they were off.  
The so called NVR simulation room was plain and simple cramped. It was six wall embedded chairs, similar to the one in the medical bay, in a room of about three meters large for four meters long. With a few interface on one side of the room, the only door being on the left of it.

Sitting in it, all but Yang winced as the pin locked into their port. It really wasn't a pleasant experience. Thought Yang seemed perfectly fine with it.   
"Okay guys, the room's on. You see it ?  
— Yes.  
— Yup !"

Blake deadpanned.  
"Yang ?  
— Yes ?  
— did you really named the room 'YANG's harem' ?  
— And what if I did ?  
— I feel obligated to point out that in only four days of cohabitation, I can already say, this is SO you."

Yang stuck out her tong, thought she was unable to clearly aim it at Blake since her head couldn't move. And closed her eyes. Entering the simulation.  
And with all their annoyance, both Weiss and Blake followed. Ruby being the only one left behind. It took her only a few more seconds to imitate them. Appearing proper in a white void environment.

"Rube ! What took you so long ?  
— Sorry guys, had to change my outfit real quick.  
— Huh ? Really ? You know this isn't that important right ?  
— thrust me guys, none of you wanted to see that."  
An uncanny feeling of knowing what this was about invaded Weiss as she remembered the lacy red cloths covering nothing Ruby had shown off during the night. Yang, clueless, asked again.  
"Oh come on, it couldn't have been that bad !  
— Well, I mean, it was. I tried to design cloth of my own, and you would have just laugh. It was just a test for myself."

'And millions of watching subscribers' Weiss completed mentally for herself. A quick look on Blake's face shown the heiress just how Blake was interrogating herself… So she didn't know. For Weiss that was valuable information. For a reason or another Ruby had kept this hidden from Blake. But was it shame about the job or something else ? Weiss couldn't tell, and it bothered her.  
She was still thinking about what she was supposed to do about all this… Talking it out with Ruby seemed like a questionable option, as it could lead to great, or terrific results, and spending god knows how many time-sharing a room with ruby in an awkward or bad mood seemed like an awful situation Weiss didn't want. Then there was the other scenario.  
While Weiss couldn't deny anymore that Ruby was physically attractive, that didn't mean anything on its own, and sharing that she was aware of Ruby's activities could force her to express herself on personal matter she had put on the side for about three weeks. For one, Weiss was frustrated, and this, conjugated with telling Ruby could lead to very awkward or very complicated situation… What if for a reason or another Weiss pushed herself on Ruby ? She wasn't sure Ruby would be capable of saying no. and she wasn't sure she knew the girl enough to read that on her face.  
What if Ruby pushed herself on her ? Weiss was pretty sure she would let it happen. But then after, will the red head expect something ? Would Weiss be able to provide that something ? It was scary, because is was possible for this to hurt Ruby, or for Weiss to hurt herself. And Weiss concluded there was only one thing to do : Ask someone for advice, because while she had sexual experience, matter of the heart had been close to nil in her life. Unless you counted the suitors full of themselves all to sure they'd be the one to get their hand on the prize because they were born into rich families… But Weiss wasn't a prize, and deemed that these liars and pretenders didn't even count as heart-matter. It was more business like than anything. So yeah… Experience in actual relationship ? Nil.  
Coco and Velvet always told her they were exclusive. And made a point to remind Weiss every now and then. Actual kisses were a big no-no that Coco had enforced thoroughly so it was clear as day.  
Weiss was having fun with them, but it was friendship and nothing more.  
Weiss had been in pain because of this… but she had buried this hopes some months ago already, and never resented her friends for this. Even if multiple partners relationship weren't that uncommon or unheard-of anymore, it wasn't for everyone. And if by some miracles both Velvet and Coco had been willing, at that point, Weiss was still heiress, and was still destined to inherit the company and be chosen a suitor for. When the matter had first been discussed, everyone involved knew this would have been a painful dead end, as the relationship could have ended brutally anytime. They protect themselves from harm, and it only seemed logical of them to do so. It sounded even more logical as, after a while, theses fears were confirmed in the most painful way, and Weiss had almost been sold off as a trophy wife.

That left Weiss with very little actual relationship experience. Then again, all of this was only theoretical, as for right now, Weiss knew close to nothing about Ruby, with the exception of a guilty and secret pleasure of the girl.

She wasn't judging.  In fact, it was kinda hot, and if she didn't fear peoples to recognize her in her life outside of NVR, she may have tried this herself. Just to see if she could see the appeal.

Yang cut her train of thought.  
"So ! Ready to be the best partners ?"  
Looking sternly at Ruby who was almost jumping from one leg to the other with excitement, Weiss let her thought be heard.  
"I will only promise to try."

Yang just laughed and both of her and Blake disappeared.  
"Soooo Blakey, have a type of setting in mind for the girl ?  
— I… humm, we have choices ?  
— Plenty. Just name a place and I will find what's closer to that.  
— Hmmm… Maybe something a bit simple first ?  
— Yeah, what about this : 'Nevermore facility' It's a model of the ship, exept a few rooms the creators had no access to and couldn't model. It's empty, save from a few randomly generated crates. Movable, so there is a bit of tactic involved.  
— Sure.  
— Now, what type of enemies ?  
— Oh god, just how many is there even ?  
— About a dozen officials. And a hundred-ish modded by the crew. One of my favorite is the nude manga character shooting at you.  
— This… your pulling my leg right ?  
— Nope !   
— Why would anyone create that ?  
— 'Cause it's hilarious. I just cannot win against them, just because I take too much time laughing and my aim becomes shit.  
— Note to self, never ever get in a fight against nude peoples if yang is in the team. Let's just take basic training units.  
— Awwww. I guess there'll be another time. There. Let's get this party going."

 

***********

Okay. This was hard. Way much more that what Yang had said.   
Ruby was sweating. Just how much of this simulation had to be realistic ?!  
When they had started, Yang had given them basic versions of their weapons, namely, Ruby had gotten her dual sub machine guns, and Weiss her rapier. There were just bland place-holder from when the actual model would be designed. 

Ruby had absolutely no experience in combat, and thought Weiss had been kind enough to explain to her how to aim and how to hold the weapons before she got to see her friends the day before, the simple recoil, while exceptionally low, was really tire ring, and Ruby was clumsy with her ammo, and had already lost two mags while running away from waves of enemies.

It just seemed unfair that the very first training session that they were doing before the actual training began, would be with actual ammo count and all sensations and stamina settings on strictly realistic mods.

Weiss was holding the corridor on her back, and was fairing way better than she was. She had ditched her rapier as soon as she had found a long range weapon, mainly because Yang had clearly lied when she had told them she'd go easy.  
Yes, the IA was dumb, and their moves were even dumber, as they would rush gullets of corridors and all die there like morons. But there were HUNDREDS of them. Everywhere. To the point that it was impossible not to get attacked by surprise attacks every two minutes. In a more open field, Both Ruby and Weiss would have been obliterated almost immediately.  
    
Considering the insane amount of enemies, Ruby and Weiss had resolved to fortify a position and stay on it. They had found the perfect place. Two crossing corridors near a large amount of crates.thanks to Ruby's dumbly efficient tactics and Weiss's precision they had managed to build a kind of crate fort looking in all four direction, having plenty of cover and four different direction to run out, should they be overrun.

A pile of dead IA was pilling on each corner of corridors from where they came. However, Ruby was getting seriously tired, and had already been shot once.   
Pain factor was divided by ten on this session, but a chunk of shoulder missing was STILL painful, and it was getting complicated to shoot with only one tired arm. Plus she wasn't that precise yet. The fact she was shooting in relatively tight corridors helped a bunch, but it had its limits. So had their ammo reserves.   
Weiss had already been collecting enemie's ammo in the pile of bodies a dozen of times now, but they were beginning to run short.  
None of them could have told if it had been minutes or hours since they had holed up there.  
"Weiss ! I need help over here !"  
It was true. Despite the fact that she was shooting as fast as possible, the line of soldiers was progressing in her direction, and each soldier that Ruby made fall was replaced by another.

However, using the fact that she had to duck to avoid a volley of plasma projectiles, Ruby looked at her partner, realizing instantly that Weiss was busy with problems of her own. Another line of soldier was slowly forcing her to close back to the lookout. Yang and Blake were achieving them.  
A strange sound began to bounce in Ruby's direction from above the barricades. Like if someone had thrown a rock.  
Said metallic rock landed inside of the protections they had built, and Ruby's expression shifted from interrogation to horror. She could only let a scream out before the plasma grenade exploded killing her on the spot, and scattering the barricade in all direction. Incidentally, Weiss was hit on the side of the head by one of the crate escaping the blast, making her join Ruby's fate.  
Walls and enemies shimmered before disappearing. And both girls pushed themselves up. Deadpanning at a grinning Yang.

"That was unfair." Ruby pouted, crossing her eyes.  
Blake only pinched her nose bridge hearing that, thought why escaped Ruby's comprehension… until Yang spoke.  
"Yeah, okay, maybe a little bit. You could say that was… a low blow."

Weiss facepalmed as Ruby snickered. All while Blake grunted out of exasperation.  
Yang only grinning, apparently very proud of that joke. AND the fifty previous one Blake had suffered.

"Is it too late to switch room with one of you two ? She's making theses all the time.  
— I'm afraid that yes, too late. Definitely.  
— Not a chance I'm switching with you, sorry Blake."

Blake mokely took a dejected face. Yang crossed her arm getting her kind smile up.  
"Come on ! I'm not that bad. You make me sound like an annoying person ! Not very fair.  
— Yeah, ok, she's much less annoying when she's asleep.  
— Oh come on !  
— which isn't that often."  
Blake took a unhidden pleasure to add that last bit. And though it was all in a joking tone, the two other could feel there was a truth in the joke.  
Yang only snickered.  
"Wait till you meet Neon. If you ever.  
— Whozat ?  
— Neon is a DJ slash Barmaid in a station of Helios. We often make stops there, so you'll probably meet at one point. And thrust me, annoyance wise, I'm a cute little kid compared to her."

Weiss lifted a brown  
"Is it really that bad ?  
— Well… Neon can run her mouth a whoooole night without ever stopping if your too kind for your own good. She's on sugar twenty-four-seven, and she have way too much energy. However, she's worth the hassle. She's a really freaking good DJ, and a very ok barmaid. The club she work in is a gotta-go at least once in your life."

Blake decided it was time to go back in business.  
"So ? A review ?  
— Oh ! Yeah ! Right. Thanks Blake. So you guys have fared really good for beginners. Especially you Weiss. It's impressive.  
— To be fair, I did this a lot with Coco and Velvet before… only, less hardcore settings.  
— Ohh I can imagine. However, you'd have lost a lot faster without this dumb contraption Ruby put in place.  
— I'm surprised it hold on at all until that grenade landed in it. Was the physics realistic ?  
— Against all odds, it was. In the field that would have behaved the same. Good improvisation for Rube then. However, there was a few problems that arose clearly. Weiss, you played solo almost all the time. The only real team effort you did was protecting Ruby while she was moving the crates.  
— I guess This is also Coco and Velvet's influences… we always played in competition to one another…  
— That's a habit you will have to lose. Rube, you stayed holed up in that fort of yours until you had almost no ammo left, and you realised the threat of grenades way too late.  Finally, and this is for both of you. While your kill counts is really high, none of you searched the facility very much. This lack of exploration costed you, as you would have found many weapons a tad more powerful than what the AI had. My conclusion is that you both have a lot to learn, but there is potential. Also Ruby needs to learn how to shoot, but that was expected, she never held a weapon of her life after all."

All nodded, Ruby shrinking on her feet.  
Blake, who noticed, closed the gap between them to place a hand on the redhead shoulder. Squeezing affectionately.  
"It's okay Ruby. It's easy you'll see.   
— Heyuuup ! And You'll see now rube, let's change place !"  
 With a mental impulsion, the white void around them began to fill itself. With walls and furniture.  
 A full wall of lockers appeared, on the opposite side of a counter that marked the end of the room. Beyond, small targets mobiles and staying still materialized from thin air.  
All around them, a much bigger and much more well-equipped range had come into existence.

Yang took a few steps into the room getting close to the lockers.  
"All the weapons I have in my database are accessible from here, and thrust me when I say… there's a LOT. I test them all before manufacturing them. Cost me much less than to buy a thing and never use it. The workstation over there helps you modify them, create blueprints, it uses the hardware calculation processors to calculate the best way to fix things, and the method to do so. Rendering Weapon modification is quite costly in power, so try to avoid asking too much at once, or we'll all get headaches. Also, there is a cost estimation for the modifications, but I haven't updated it for month… or Is it years now ? Don't thrust it anyhow the market for material change weekly. Ruby, I'm gonna give you some basic weapons and leave you in the hands of Blake. That's alright with ya Blakey ?  
— Perfectly fine.   
— Nice ! Weissy ! You told me you have used some of your old weapons that were close enough to the ideas we got yesterday to create a prototype right ?  
— Yes.  
— Let's test it now. Let me just add a small arena. So we don't bother Blake and rube."

  
**********

  
"How many ?  
— Three near the door, one is asleep, two on the other side of the room. Due to the fact I'm using Heat sensors, I may not detect droids."

Ilia nodded. Still pressed against the metal door.  
"Is there any machinery nearby ? Possible covers ?  
— Don't know. The data of the map we stole are pretty vague in this domain. However, I can say there are no vents here. It's equipped with dedicated Life support.  
— Shit. So no way in or out exept the two doors ?  
— I'm afraid not.  
— okay. Any ideas ?  
— Well there's always trying to force through. But I would not recommend it, I cannot say how well-equipped they are.   
— Light outage ?  
— That's an option. But eventual droids won't be bothered.  
— Me neither thought.   
— the best of two evil then ? We might get lucky and security will be sloppy.  
— No. this ship is a speed miracle. Many of his technologies aren't commercialized yet. Its inauguration is due in only a few days. About that. You're still sure you'll be able to make it fly ?  
— Even if there is programs missing, I'll be able to do their works. And preflight should be a formality. Thrust me. It won't' be that hard.  
— Okay. I think we're done for reconnaissance here.  Let's get back to the old White fang lookout.  
— you still want to go through with your initial Idea ?  
— Yes. It's hard, but I won't force anyone to come. They'll have to volunteer. I cannot do this alone. This ship is unprepable without at least ten pairs of hands. And it's our best bet out of here without any risks of being caught. Plus considering it's value, I'd be really surprised if there isn't any weapons mounted on it.  
— Fast AND powerful then ?  
— Something like that. Though I'm sure it's not that great compared to what your friends do. Am I right ?  
— Well the coalition does invest a lot in research, and all warships are provided with labs with the objective to always develop new tech, but we don't always take the same direction the council military do, and even if it's not that great compared to us, it is valuable information if the council's men are equipped with it.  
— True."

Getting up, Ilia triggered her skin camouflage as she moved along the walls, trying to match it the best she could.  
This was a natural ability that had saved her many times, thought she initially hated it.  
Being born faunus, her skin was pretty much uncontrollable until her teenage days finally ended. Any emotional input from her brain would trigger it to various and sometimes very flashy colors.  
It made her stand out, and as a Faunus standing out, she had been victim to the fatality of bullying.   
Today, this ability was one of her best ally, and she was proud of the amount of control she had on it. Mimicking a wall pattern was much harder than it seemed for the average human or even faunus. A lot thought this ability was automatic. It wasn't. It was more like a muscle. She could choose very precisely what color appeared where. And it required a lot of concentration to do anything patern-like as such as she was doing right now. It wasn't free either. This concentration was tiring, and Ilia had to use it very regularly for a really long time before the toll of using it on long periods had ultimately decreased. 

The HUD behind her eyes blinked as Pyrrah added new information to it. Mainly her position on the simple minimap of the facility she had given the faunus to not lose herself.  
This section of the station, the private docks, were basically hundreds of small hangars, owned by different peoples. Often traders, or space farers, along with the occasional planet rusher. But it was also the hangars were most ships belonging to the station or a firm affiliated to it came to store prototypes and private fleet.  
A true goldmine, protected by a tight security that Ilia hoped to force.

Their target was a prototype of a weird middle ground between a corvette and frigate. Built for speed above all else, but also sturdy and capable of a decent firepower should it come to fights.

While Ilia had known about the research and prototyping of this ship for a very long time, it had never risen her attention before, mainly because this kind of ships were unique, and as such impossible to resell or hide. Any security personnel would identify it almost immediately once it approached the premise of a place. Then it would either be retrieved or destroyed. Depending on of the level of menace. This meant that for the white fang, this ship was useless. It couldn't be used to make money, and was not able to get anywhere near stations and official state-space zone.  
It's only use could be piracy, but that wasn't an activity the White fang practiced. Until now.

"There's a sensor behind this door.  
— Can you disable it ?  
— no, not in this form. If you could connect to the hardware in the room thought…  
— Wait wouldn't that trigger it ?   
— It would.  
— So I cannot enter with the sensor on…  
— But I cannot disable the sensor until you enter."

Ilia allowed herself to softly bang her head on the wall beside the door.  
"Dammit. How far from the exit ?  
— About fifty meters. Trying to run would close the security blast doors thought…  
— How about Fire ?  
— Pardon ?  
— If I started a fire, would evacuation measure prevent the doors from locking ?  
— I… Have no idea. I don't have access to the security measure of this place. Usually it does not though… precisely because it would be a flaw in security.  
— I don't get why this is only a problem now, we passed this section in the other direction without a hitch.  
— There was a panel on the other side of the door. There aren't here. Which is weird to be fair."

It was. This kind of security hallway with cameras and eventual other security measure was mainly made to trap intruders inside of it if they weren't properly logged in. this meant they had to authenticate either they were entering it from one side or the other. Unless… 

"Pyrrah did you accessed the log-in logs on the other side earlier ?  
— Yes.  
— was there regular identification made to open this door ? Probably always by the same one of few accounts ?  
— There is… wait you think they usually have a sentry outside with the proper pass ?  
— and only him is opening doors for everyone. That's a smart move. And it means they removed this panel so peoples couldn't pass through that…"

Ilia felt Pyrrah's curiosity at the edge of her mind.  
"You don't seemed panicked for someone possible trapped inside a facility  
— that's because I still have one hope."  
Grabbing one of her throwing knife Ilia took position on the side of the door the security panel should've been. And unceremoniously began to unscrew the bolts of the metal panels covering the bone structure of the wall. It wasn't long before she found what she was hoping to find.

"And this is why you don't pay cheap engineers to do security work. They get lazy and rush the jobs. They removed the panel, but they didn't bother with the cables. They just covered them with the wall. Someone without a bit of critical thinking would be dumb enough to not check if there ever had been a panel to begin with, but I'm not that stupid. You can work with that ?"  
   
Pyrrah smiled inside her host.  
"I sure can. It'll only be a second. You need to cut the fourth, sixth and twelve cable, and connect them to your hacking computer. Respectively in pin two, three and ten."  
Doing so, Ilia saw the door open almost instantly under Pyrrah's security system's expertise.

"No door can resist you huh ?  
— Compared to a normal human, by processing power is just unfathomable. I just usually don't use it because I don't need it. I'm my own super calculator. That, combined with the fact I'm outfited with one of the most recent security database get me pretty unstoppable by any form of electronic security.  
— Mechanical would work ?  
— What, like a real lock and key ?  
— yeah, that.  
— Well, if I'm alone, yes. If I have a partner like you, no.  
— How so ?  
— I can assemble myself into a key of any form, but once in that form, who would turn me in the lock ?  
— Oh… Yeah, kinda obvious now that I think about it."

Advancing is the small room, all security measures turned down, Ilia felt unstoppable.  
"How the heck did I lived without you before ?  
— Like any normal human ? Feeble and powerless…  
— Woah, and I thought I had an Ego complex.  
— I'm joking Ilia. Thought I'm touched you feel like you couldn't live without me anymore, I'm afraid I'll have to break your heart, as mine is already taken."

Ilia rolled her eyes while crossing the second door on the other side of empty room, save for a camera and a few moke vents.

"Bummer. I was gonna ask you to marry me."

This place had been an impenetrable fort since as long as Ilia had known, and there she was getting in and out like it was nothing, bypassing security without a single real problem.

Getting out of the rest of the place was much easier, as security was only tight near the prototype.  
This area was spread on a whole flank of the station, and paying security to secure the whole place would have been both useless and pricey. 

As she was about to get out of the place she heard a move behind her.  
She turned on her heels, gun already in hands. Charging a shot.  
"Whoah ! One should chill out ! It is not good for one's heart to be this jumpy. Kharjo would know. He had been for many years."  
Ilia Deadpanned at the cat faunus before taking a very stern look.  
"Kharjo, Until a minute ago, I was in a freaking restricted area, full of cameras and automated turrets. When you're here, show your goddamn self.   
— Kharjo did not mean to offense anyone, dear Ilia. He's just been looking out for reinforcements, like you asked. And feared men were coming his way, so he hid.  
— Of course you did."  
Holstering her gun after having emptied the shot back in its Plasma Shell, Ilia pushed the button of this section, opening the door to more public area where they were abilited to go.

"So ? Did our leader secured information like she said she will ?  
— I did.  
— It is impressive. Kharjo remembers that two other tentative with much more materials and hands failed before today.  
— We didn't know how to get behind the security. Now I do.  
— Still most impressive. Kharjo would be curious to know where you found such information."

Ilia felt a strong uneasiness she knew wasn't hers. Pyrrah's fear of being revealed was seeping from her implants into her own consciousness.

"The last gig I gave Blake turned out more fruitful than anticipated. She found some database with interesting things on it.  
— We will have to thanks her for that then.  
— Yes, we will. Now eyes open, we're not in the clear until we're back at base."

' _I still don't know why your so set on including your crew in this._ '

The silent query of pyrrah reached Ilia's mind.  
'Because We'll need people to man the ship anyway, and those who will come will be trustworthy.'  
There was caution in Pyrrah's next thoughts.  
'How do you know ?'

Mainly, Ilia knew because all of her men were trustworthy. But secondly, because her plan didn't just involve them, but their family as well. Who would take the risk to overt themselves as traitors when their family would be onboard the ship they were stealing ?

' _That doesn't help me feel better._ '  
This time Ilia fumed, whispering between her teeth.

"Stop, reading, my, thoughts."  
' _Sorry, it just keeps happening._ '

It was the third time, and Ilia didn't like it.  
The first had been about a goddamn sandwich she had fawned over for about an hour before pyrrah finally interjected about how distracting it was to hear the constant rambling of how she should wait for actual lunchtime, and had intimated Ilia to eat the damn thing already.

The second, Ilia preferred not to think about it again. It was embarrassing enough as it had been, she didn't need Pyrrah to catch a second glimpse at her sexual fantasies.  
"Does Ilia know Kharjo have really good hearing ? It is strange to hear you get angry at someone Kharjo doesn't see. In a call maybe ?"

Crap. She had forgotten who she was with…

"Yeah. I hung up though. Don't worry."

Traveling back to the hideout was effectively done without so much as crossing path with guards. And soon, Both Ilia and her sentry were back into the dusty place.

There, waiting for them was a full clique of White-Fang members. All sorted out the ranks by Ilia as the most trustworthy she knew, or, for those she didn't know much, the most ancient.

When they entered, some turned their head toward her, as Kharjo made his way to a crate he proceeded to use as a chair.  
They were probably all curious as to why Ilia had summon so much of them, and only old members, at that. She had prepared a speech for that, and so she began, with a clear and loud voice.

"I'm sure you're all wondering what you are doing here today. But sadly, I cannot tell you any of that yet. As you all know, The Nevermore and it's crew have been a great asset for a really long time. They provided us Intel, food, medical supply. Some of your children would be dead if not for them. Entire sections of the under-systems would be devoided of any oxygen if not for our trades with them."

All in the room nodded, as Ilia was speaking the truth.

"We are in debt with them for how much they are willing to sell to us all sorts of supplies at costs much lower than any business of the council ever could. And today, it is time to repay that debt.  
We need to do something for them. However, this something will piss off powerful peoples. Peoples, even us, cannot stop currently. A firm is chasing a precious package, that we have in our possession, it belongs to our friends of the Nevermore. I need one team, comprise of the ones of you all who will volunteer, to steal a ship and bring it to them.

However, before any of you sign in, there are things to tell : the package we are getting to them is so precious, so important in the firm's eyes, they will likely not hesitate to hurt peoples you know and care about.

If you have families. Friends, or lovers, I suggest you either bring them with you when we steal that ship, or refrain to participate at all, as it is pretty much certain that coming back to 17-B after we leave it will not be an option. Therefore, I will also have to leave out my role as leader to someone else. I have accepted this as fact, and I leave up to the one who will stay to keep our group on the right path."

This caused a strong murmur to start, as all quickly reacted to their leader basically quitting the station.  
"How can they ask us to sacrifice peoples for them like that ?  
— They are not. This is my decision as leader, and only volunteer will come. On the package we are delivering, lies a number of lives in at least five digits. We aren't doing this because they asked us. We are doing it to save lives, just like we always did in the station."

A rumor of whispers and small talk began to buzz in the room as the peoples began to   
Think their options.  
Out of the group, marched a woman. She had complex tattoos on one arm, and pretty blue eyes strongly contracting with her jet black ponytail and hair, and her artificial leather jacket. She had a grunge-punk vibe, completely out of her time. And a fluffy black tail.

"I'm in."  
Ilia recognized her. Thought she didn't know if the woman was that trustworthy, she was there even before Adam. She wasn't exactly born in the fang, but she had done a amount of missions dangerous and risky enough that her motivation to help faunus wasn't put into question. She was also kind of inapproachable.  
"Vernal… Are you sure ?  
— As sure as I can get. Many here might be afraid of the risks, as we could very much be shot down, but let's be honest here, this is also a great opportunity to leave this shit-hole. How much have we heard of the life the crew of the Nevermore has ? Of how everything is easy for them ? If I can help them, and win a decent life in the process, I'd be a fool not to at least try. And I for one, have no family or friend to worry about. So yeah, Let's do it."

There was a long moment of silence, Ilia considering the woman. To be honest, it was unexpected. She hesitated a bit, but finally, the proficient skill of the woman, that she had shown countless times against security, convinced Ilia.  
She was about to welcome the help when another voice rose.

"I think I'll come with too."

The woman had a small smile, near what peoples would call compassion, and all could see the grayish veins that started on her elbow and slowly turned into her full skin when reaching her wrists. A rare species, arthropodic-faunus weren't that common, as few had accepted the research about it.   
Trifa was the only of her kind Ilia knew, at least if you didn't count for the nut job that was Tyrian Callows before the security managed to send him back to the mental health facility he had escaped. Not that Ilia ever met the dude anyway.   
This time, Ilia was sure of who she was looking at. Trifa had been one of the first to speak out when Adam had been captured. Admitting that she knew the leader to be getting more and more extreme and admitting she had, until then followed blindly. She was also one of the faunus that had supported her when she decided to become leader.   
She was faithful to the cause, and had since showed a caring side to those she felt deserved it. She had also suffered her share of pain, as she was born into a human family that was ashamed of her. Ilia didn't know the story that much, as Trifa never really explained it. It seemed to still be hurting a lot though, as she knew the gray haired woman wasn't seeing her family anymore. 

"I'll be glad to have you both. Is there anyone else ?  
— There is. I'm game for some action."

The man was tall, his hair where currently a bright, luminescent purple. But that was quite prone to change, as he had customizable hair color implants, and had shown just how much he liked to change them erratically following his whims and humors. Amedas was a member since his very birth. His parents had since retired, but he was a still their pride for following his family's beliefs for a brighter future.  
While not the best shooter, he had proved to be very capable for quick decision-making and was a decent pilot. Also, in Ilia's perspective, he was quite a spectacle, and provided a good moral support. His addition would do nicely.

The recruitment followed its course. A few other members eventually volunteering. A few more in fact that what Ilia had thought. In the end, they were sixteen… More than enough. amongst them, Ilia, Vernal Trifa and Kharjo would be the one in charge. However, there was still something missing. And it didn't please Ilia

"I can't help but notice we are missing some members. Where are Hunis and our retired medical officer ?"

Vernal just shrugged. It wasn't that unusual, she wasn't that attentive to members coming and going. After a while it was Amedas that spoke.  
"We… don't really know. There were supposed to come, but they never did. I sent a message to Hunis, but she never answered. Wich is unusual."

Ilia frowned. That was an understatement. Hunis was always front and center for anything concerning the fang. Her absence wasn't good news.  
In fact, it was quite a bad one.

_"I don't like this. Somethings feels wrong."_

Ilia felt exactly the same, or maybe it was just pyrrah's thought invading her own.

_"We should move on. This meeting is gathering a lot of members, we don't want to be interrupted"  
_

Right.  
"Everyone coming with us will be leaving tonight. We need to strike quickly and efficiently. I did a bit of recon exactly for this reason, and as such, we can already say that overwhelming their defenses will be easy as long as we have an informatic upper hand. I'm confident we can do this. Just be prepared for Droids unaccounted for. I wasn't able to determine whether or not they had some in there. Those of you who aren't coming, I want you to found our missing members at once. Go to their rooms, go to the usual places. I want to know why two very trustworthy members aren't showing up when they are asked."

Everyone being dismissed began to prepare. Only the members of her new task force staying put  
Once everyone was out, Ilia spoke anew  
"Prepare tonight. Bring family to the rendezvous point I'm giving now, don't wander off. I have a feeling you don't want to be caught alone in the dark corridors of the station this evening.  
Equip yourself with one bag of personal items and cloths. Bring food and water also, Stay with your weapons, no matter what. Our members disappearing puts me a little on edge, I want all of you to be safe.  
Be at the rendezvous on time, but not too early. We won't be waiting anyone, if your not here when we begin, we'll consider you have bailed."

As it was clear there were dismissed to prepare, each and every member left, going to their own device and preparations.

We should probably move. Staying at one place too long isn't a good idea.  
That was a good call. Grabbing her stuff, Ilia made her way toward her own room. Not that far from the actual Fang quarters, where she began to stuff her own luggage.  
She had already wiped her informatic lab in the under systems, and had given the data she hadn't destroyed to a trustworthy member.  
She was nearly done when her Scroll-PDA vibrated.  
She stopped still. Concentrating, closing her eyes. Soon, her ears picked up the faint noise of walking outside. Clearly trying their best to be discreet. None of the members would actually do that here.

In a matter of second her bag was on her back, and her weapon was out. She quickly shut the lights off with her NVR, plunging herself in the dark behind her only table. Where her skin began to match the darkness perfectly. The faint noise of biping sound gave Ilia the knowledge that had been the correct course of action. Putting her weapon between her teeth, she plugged both her ears with sound protection. Before grabbing her whip-rapier back and getting a throwing knife out, just in time.

Even with the protections, the detonation was loud. The door flying against the other wall of the room. Ilia once again concentrated, trying her best to feel out the vibration on the metallic sound of the ground.  
She felt it. Then she heard it. And as she did she sprang into motion, her legs bringing her up as her arm unfolding swiftly. 

The first of the Black armored man didn't even have the time to react, the silent knife lodging in his head before he could even warn his two teammates. Before he fell to the ground, making noise, Ilia had already taken aim for her second target. The loud thumping sound of one dead body dropping drew all the attention of the two others, once they noticed Ilia it was too late for the second target.  
One shot straight to the head. The gun Ilia had unholstered and fired, blackened by oxidation and use, was still smoking when she ducked under her cover to avoid the retaliation of the only aggressor left.  
With confidence in her weapon abilities, she shot thought her cover, creating several holes into it. The distinct crackling sound of electricity indicating that the opponent was fitted with a Kilpium field.

She needed this down.

_"I'm on it. Buy time."_

Nodding, Ilia laid on the ground pushing the table inner surface with all her might, projecting it toward her adversary.  
The man grunted, but lost no time trying to block it, his field doing that job for him. Instead, he shot blindly, trying to see with the flash of his weapon.  
He almost hit Ilia, one of the shots landing merely a few centimeters away from her right leg. She rolled on the side, keeping her rapiers and gun close to her chest as she moved out of the way until the man was out.

_"I'm almost done, but this guy is well-equipped, don't take him lightly !"_

Ilia sprung back on her legs, just in time to see the man had abandoned his weapon, probably too scared of her getting back-ups because of the noise, and he was almost on her.

Because of the particle field protecting him, Ilia didn't even bother trying to parry or fight, simply shooting the metal plates under the man's foot.   
Loosing his balance, he almost fell, his rush transforming into a stagger in a matter of seconds.  
Readying her weapon Ilia slashed with all her might, the electric property of her weapons creating a light show at the surface of the protection field. A spark on the armor of the man signaling the equipment wasn't that good with electrical currents. Few Kilpium field were.

Taking a foothold onto the wall behind her Ilia pressed all her weight on her weapons, cranking up the current to the max setting she could. The field took a white and opaque color as pressed more and more. A whistling noise began to run, more and more powerful and high as her blade began to sink in the field.

**_"Oh god ! ILIA HE HAS A SALAMEND– "_ **

Before the warning sank in, it was too late. The kilpium field shattered and all the energy used to destroy it came back in a strong impulsion wrecking the room and tearing out several plates out of the wall, ceiling and floor.   
Ilia hit the wall, hard enough that her breathing was cut, her whole torso hurting as her eyes were still trying to adjust the dark after the brightness of this light show.  
Clearly, the man was in the same state as he quickly put himself back up. Trying to look around him. But unlike Ilia, he had no night vision to aid him.

_"Are you okay ? "_

'I am' she thought.   
Quickly grabbing an object at her belt, Ilia tug the metal ring it had out, making the small object roll as she turned away from it and plugged her ears the best she could.

The man, still struggling to even see where he was never ever saw the small cylinder until said cylinder transformed into the very sun's blazing light, with the loudest bang one could ever hear, especially in an enclosed environment such as this one.

He was on the ground in a matter of seconds. Screaming and shouting as his eyes, burned forever, would never see the light again.

With a prudent walk, Ilia pushed his weapon a bit further away from him. Her own ears where ringing.   
"Did he sent any message or SOS ?"

_"He tried, but the small jammer you outfitted me prevented him to…  Ilia…"_

"I know."  
Steeling herself, Ilia aimed her gun at the head of the adversary. Shaking her head, she lowered it, then fired. Straight to the heart.  
While this disgusted Ilia very much, she knew perfectly well that they didn't need peoples to get any information he might give.

"This isn't the first attempt to my life, but this one is clearly the first with a real commando."  
 _"agreed. No way this is anyone but Grav-Arma. They must have identified the Fang as responsible of my liberation somehow."_

"Yet, instead of sending security to arrest me, they are sending killers."  
Ilia lowered herself on the body of the man. She quickly pulled the energy core out of its armor. If the field reactivated, she couldn't salvage anything.

_"And very well-equipped ! Salamander Defense modules are extremely rare and expensive. Channeling and storing huge amount of kinetic energy to release it on shield break takes a lot of rare materials."_

"Which is why…"  
With a forceful tug she sank her arm between the torso of the man and his armor, pressing the right button.  
It unlocked immediately. And Ilia just had to grip the right module and unplug it.  
She striped the killer of everything of use, getting his kilpium field, salamander module, ammo, weapon, and even a few credits chips. In the end it wasn't a bad haul.

Getting back her old gun in his holster, she studied the weapon she just took from the man a bit. It was a simple rifle, shooting Ballistic projectile. But it came with several parts that were difficult to built, even with the right tools. It would be a good weapon to have around.

Several running footsteps made Ilia look up. Jumping above the old metal table, now bent and crippled of holes, Ilia pressed herself on the side of one of her doors. Ready to take any new adversary, but seriously hoping It was back-up.

It was Kharjo who entered first, followed by a lot of the members. All with weapons out. Ilia left her breathing out as she chuckled.

"I'm here."

All looked at her with a mix of surprise and relief. Regaining a more natural stance, the chameleon faunus walked to the three bodies in the middle of the room.

"It seems like the firms knows who and where we are now.  
— which isn't normal. The fang headquarters are not exactly the secret we keep the best, but personal locations aren't ever recorded or transmitted… So HOW ?"

One of the usual member arrived, running. And visibly at loss for breath since he had obviously run all the way here.

"Ilia, we found one of our missing member… Hunis is dead… Shot right behind the head."  
Ilia grit her teeth as she felt the sting of pain invade her heart. No member could let themselves be surprised like that… Ilia got a hunch it was an actual member of the fang who'd done it. She wiped a tear off her face.

_"We'll mourn later. This place isn't safe."_

" Kharjo would like to know what this changes to the plans.  
— Not much. We can't rush our departure anyway. However this does gives us some information : Our enemies are very well-equipped, they are trained. But most importantly, they don't want to draw too much attention.  
— What ? They launched an explosive attack, that pretty much the loudest you could do.  
— No Vernal. They don't wear any recognizable signs of distinction, they tried to hit as hard they could, then when I stalled, they tried to rush me. They wanted to get out as fast as possible.  
— in fear we might back you up ?  
— The package we are trying to get out is illegal, Even for them to have. Which is precisely why they don't had any back-up. Three people seem a bit understaffed for a gang leader who might very well be having an escort. Something tells me they would prefer for the Station security to stay out of this."

_"Maybe we can use this ?"_

'How ?'  
If the security repels Grav-Arma's forces, having them near the ship when we steal it might stop them from trying to stop us.  
'How would we even make the security come and…'

Ilia lifted her head with a grin.

"We're going to tip the security about stealing the ship."  
Everyone in the room looked at her baffled.   
"Why the fuck would we do this ?!  
— Because I much prefer to fight the mildly trained security guards and their neutralizing weapons than Grav-arma trained soldier who shots deadly projectiles, in addition to being probably a lot more numerous on site. That plan will however, will leave more time for Grav-Arma to come up with a plan B, and the station security isn't exactly going to let us take the ship more than them. Still, I think this is our best shot."

Since she didn't want the firm to trace any of them while in the facility, none of them could make the call about their upcoming raid on the private hangars. It had to be someone outside the team, and Ilia knew who already. She just sent them a message about it with a specific hour to do it, and left it at that.

"Does anyone still have preparations to do ?"

A collective no of the head in the room made Ilia nod.  
"Good. Then we're moving. I want every member of the group to follow me in the upper levels.  
— Didn't you said we can't rush this anyway, boss ?  
— We're not. We're going there to ward off killers, they won't attack in the middle of a public place with guards everywhere."

 

 


	10. comming of age, and new responsibilities.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So yeaaah, this one is a bit shorter, but we're still in the setup part ! and this seemed like a good place to stop.  
> as always, don't hesitate to leave a message to say if a thing is weird, or if a sentence don't make a goddamn sense. I'm here to improve, pointing errors helps me a lot in that regard.

Flying through enemies like Ruby was currently doing was really fun.  
Especially with her method of movements. She was so impatient to actually buy these armors and jet packs.

Slicing two IA soldiers in half as she was flying across the room she tried to land only for her speed and the friction of her shoes to send her tumbling backward. She managed to recover by making that into a kind of back flip, but her back wa pained by it, and she sluggishly blocked the next move of Weiss rapier. Getting projected like a rag doll against the white wall of the room.

Her weapon flickered. This was a bad sign that Crescent Rose had already taken too many chocs. Deactivating the Hard light system and folding it she tried to get one of her small sub machine gun out, but Weiss and her IA escort made it to her faster than she initially thought possible, and she had to abandon that idea momentarily. Jumping on the side to avoid a deadly thrust of rapier, Ruby had no choice but get back, as Weiss had currently more reach than she ever could get with her bare hands. 

Fortunately, Weiss was way less mobile than the red-tip haired girl, and a burst of Ruby's jet pack was enough to gain enough distance. Finally, having the sub machine guns in hands, she felt much more confident, and got back into a closer range to cover Weiss's positions in bullet impacts. Making the last IAs fall beside the ex-heiress.

The last few days had been enlightening for Ruby. She had learned how to create NVR weapon prototype, had made a few, mainly her weapon and armors, and she had learned that firing a sniper rifle all while moving a lot was a lot less easy than books and films made it out to be.

The scythe mode however, had proven to be the strongest attribute in large areas. Ever since she had began using it in her NVR training, the young recruit could only admire the work the blade was doing.

Weiss too, was visibly improving. Even Ruby was able to tell.  
Her movements had smoothed a bit since they had begun, and she was getting better at anticipating her training partner's actions. Just like she did at the exact moment Ruby was thinking it.  
Using both of her sub machines guns, Ruby had blocked the weapon of her adversary in between her arm and body, but Weiss saw it, just smiled and tugged on a small button under her finger, almost immediately, Ruby was forced to let go of her weapons as a shock ran along her hands.  
Electric current. This was new, and definitely fool play, thought Weiss would have retort that they had agreed to use their weapons without showing the actual blueprints.

Frustrated by having fell into such a simplistic trap, Ruby was forced to once again, dodge and get back to avoid loosing precious health.  
The terrain Weiss had selected was, without surprise a void room with only four limit walls.  
There were no items or parts of the decor Ruby could throw at her.  
Resorting to her only solution to this harassment problem, Ruby took once again her distances. Only to dodge on the side when Weiss lifted the weapon she had in the other hand. Firing on her with it repeatedly until the weapon clicked it's emptiness.  
Ruby's armor was making her sturdy to bullets, But Weiss had taken a liking to a gun in particular which rendered her protections harmful more than useful : it was a rare model of ultra-cold gas.  
Ruby's armor was insulated against space, but the surface of her armor freezing made her movements difficult, and in time, and with enough shots taken, entire parts of the armor may get stuck. Fortunately for her, Ruby was becoming quite agile when it comes to dodging projectiles

As per usual Weiss was leading the dance while Ruby was trying to survive. It was getting old, honestly. And today, this record of permanent victory would stop for Weiss, as Ruby had a plan.

"We have agreed to no explosives when training right ?"  
Cockily, Weiss marched toward her, Rapier forward.  
"Correct.  
— But does this count ?"

Before Weiss could realize in any way what Ruby had in store, the girl got her last chance out, rushing Weiss with a battle cry as she launched a small cylinder forward.  
It ruptured midway to Weiss in a thick impenetrable looking smoke, and Weiss sworn in her breath comprehending what was up.

"You know Ruby, Smoking me might work, but you have to be a fool if you think you can surprise me with your undeniably loud footsteps !"  
As on cue, the repetitive tap sounds of foot on the ground began to rose around Weiss.  
Staying perfectly still she closed her eyes, trying to get a source from them only to find the reverberation of the room she had chosen to be playing against her. At first the sounds seemed like running around her, but now, it seemed to come from everywhere. A sound, much stronger than the other came from behind and like on springs, Weiss turned slashing at it only to hit nothing.

She looked bewildered by the model of AK-bee on the ground where it had been thrown. A decoy. She turned too late to completely block the impact of a flying Ruby, brandishing her scythe anew. With her stance and balance broken, Weiss panicked. Flailing her rapier erratically while she aimed of her gun. The repeated clicks made her realize she hadn't reloaded yet. 

Before any other solution came into mind, the head of ruby's scythe had made its way behind Her, and Weiss had her opportunity to retreat taken from her. As the only possible escape from the crescent would no doubt become her end when ruby would fire the sniper and use the recoil to swing it the moment she would be at the right position.

Desperation made Weiss throw her rapier out of the way as she grabbed at full hand the weapon of her adversary. This turned to be her end, as Ruby tugging on it hard forced the ex-heiress forward where she was greeted by a fierce headbutt.

She could only grunt as she felt her skin rupture and blood begin to flow into her eyes.  
Blinded by her blood, and lightheaded by the shock, she didn't even hear Ruby get away from her.

At this point she knew she was finished, and was just waiting the finishing blow.  
Despite her knowing, the feeling of the remains of Ruby's ammo sinking into her skin made her cry out her pain as the recoil send her to crash several meters behind where she rolled. Motionless.

It took a few seconds for the program to register Ruby's victory, like even it was unsure it really happened, but as Weiss took a breath again, her body movements unlocking and the pain of registered damage disappearing, Ruby already had both her hands up in the virtual sky as she shouted.

"YESSS !! FINALLY !"

Some moderate but sincere claps came from their left, and both turned to see both Blake and Yang had materialized there.  
"Good job rube ! That was a top-notch duel victory. Sleek usage of a cheap weapon to fool an adversary too. Watchathink Blakey ?"

Blake was looking at ruby, an intense gleam of proudness getting through her vain tentative to hid it.

"That for a full novice to overcome Weiss in a duel in ONLY a few first day of training is both worrying and astonishing. Even I have to admit Weiss is a dangerous opponent with this sharp stick her hers.  
— HEY ! Myrtenmastener is NOT a stick !"

All of them deadpanned at the girl.  
"Weissy, this is literally a metal stick with hand protections.  
— In this form maybe ! But the final product will be outstanding, and you'll all be jealous of the awesome and effective weapon it'll be. Just you wait till I've finished it !"

All of them grunted in faked-frustration.  
Weiss had made adamant that her weapon should be both a piece of art AND a powerful weapon, and as such, she was spending an awfully long time designing its appearance and functions, and was showing the work in progress to no one.

"You know Weiss, I get that you'd want your weapon to be beautiful, I really do, but why hide the work in progress ?"

As ruby asked Weiss rolled her eyes, Yang smiled, convinced that like always the ex-heiress would deflect the question, and Blake squinted her eyes onto the white haired girl before answering Ruby's question by declaring bluntly.

"She wants to hide it from us, so we cannot see the internal workings and what it might be equipped with.  
— Ugh ! You can't prove that !"  
Everyone but Weiss hummed in comprehension of Weiss refusing to show what could be used against her in a duel like this one. Then something hit Weiss quite hard.

"Oh no. I lost didn't I ?  
— You suuure did Girl !"

This was bad. Weiss knew that much. What day was today ? Maybe this was already too late ? She sure hoped it was ! But checking it real quick by making her HUD pop-out only confirmed her suspicion.  
Before she could even sight about how regretful she already was, Ruby was giddily jumping repetitively a meter away with both her eyes set on Weiss.

"You knooow what that meeaaaaans ?  
— No.  
— Yeeessss you doooo !"

Both Yang and Blake arched a brown. Weiss only sighted louder.

"FINE. YES ruby you've won our bet. And yes, like we agreed, I'll show it to you a bit later. But your not allowed to tell anyone !  
— Wait, guys, what's this about a bet ?  
— Do you really need to know ?  
— As a team leader YES."

A desperate call for help to Blake only rewarded Weiss with a shrug and a small compassionate smile. So Blake was basically excusing herself for leaving her to her fate. Resigning herself, Weiss Faced Yang.

"I made a bet with Ruby that she wouldn't be able to defeat me in less than two weeks. And, as it's only've been four days since we officially began to train, I lost this bet.  
— Yeah, I'd want to say, don't do bets like that, but to be fair, even to me that seemed like a fairly easy win of a bet for you… I can't say I was seeing ruby win this quick. Yet she's been grazing throughout basics this last four days. So much I just don't get how she does it. So yeaah, tough luck for ya Weissy. Though I'm curious, what are you to do because you lost ?  
— She has promised that if I won the bet she would show me the work on her weapon."

Yang's head snapped to Weiss.  
"WHAT ?! Not fair !! I wanna know too !  
— And Yet you, as Blake, will have to wait, and I am only showing Ruby to encourage her outstanding work. Especially her ability to master such a dangerous weapon as fast as she did ! I thought she was gonna have to change it when she spent her full first day cutting off her own limbs !"  
Everyone winced at the mentioned of the awful first day. 

"Yeaaaah, I wasn't too proud of myself at the end of the day…"  
Yang smiled.  
"And Yet, the second day, she only cut herself twice, and both times it was pretty small cuts.  
— You forget that yesterday, I cut my own femoral artery.  
— It doesn't count, I had deviated your weapon to do that."

Bragging Yang wasn't the best Yang, but everyone put up with it. Until Weiss decided that she wanted to know how they did.

"The critic on our approaches ? Please ?  
— Oh, right. Up until now Weiss, you were leading the dance, and that shown once ruby surprised you. You out-right panicked and lost all control or any stances you could have before it happened. You're gonna have to work on that from now on. That can't happen in the field, you would leave some limbs in it, at best.  
— You're right. I guess I also underestimated Ruby a bit…  
— Honestly, we all did. But I threw an eye on her weapon, and just know that it gives her a LOT of advantages. When you told me she had a knack for mechanics, Blake, I would have never thought she would learn so quickly. This is some advanced weaponry she made !  
The appearance isn't quite done yet, but once it's perfectly balanced and assembled, this thing will be one of the deadliest weapon I've ever seen. But, as the rules dictates, no spoilers. Especially for you Weiss.  
— What's that supposed to mean ?  
— Show us your weapon and maybe I'll disclose a thing or two about rube's."  
Blake, approaching yang from behind gave a small bump on the back of the leader's head.  
"Don't try to buy info out of Weiss.  
— Fiiiiine." Yang rolled her eyes, with a mischievous smile all in the room where beginning to know.

Yang began to do some stretches.  
"Why do you do that ?  
— Do what ?  
— Stretching. We're in VR, stretching won't do you any good.  
— Wrong. While not physically useful, stretching in VR still gives you the habit. It's an important one to have, and at first I forgot all the time on physical training because I didn't do it in VR. Which is why we are all doing it."

Weiss was about to argue when Yang looked at her. The ex-heiress knew the look, and better than to argue when Yang was giving it to her. She shrugged and began stretching, like the rest of the group.

As Yang was about to call it good enough and declare the session done, Someone materialized in the room.

"Oh, good, you kept that habit." Yang was straight up standing the moment the woman was in VR with them. And all the member of the team interrupted themselves upon seeing the black haired woman make a few steps toward them.

"Relax Yang, I'm here on my time off. I'm not currently in my captain role.  
— Oh Good. We're gonna leave you the VR room then Mom ? And log out ?  
— Actually I was hoping to spar a bit with you. It's been a while.  
— Yeah, I know. I MADE it a while. Last time you kinda plumeled me to death. With Pain settings at a hundred percent.  
— You're exaggerating, it wasn't that bad.  
— Mom, why did we stopped sparing with weapon again ?"

Raven let out a huff of annoyance.  
"Because I cut both of your arms up, before decapitating you.  
— and that I still feel itchy on my neck each time I'm reminded. Okay listen. Just a brawl, Legal rules applies, and I said LEGAL your bar fights and other unofficial box clubs and their insanity are not to be used for their rules.  
— Party pooper.  
— Oh and Blake is your adversary should I lose."

The cat Faunus's ears flew straight up as her eyes became rounder than Helios's sun itself.  
"WHAT ?!  
— This, is for the shampoo incident.  
— It was an Accident !  
— And my hairs are still not fully ridden of it. Beside it'll help you with unarmed combat. You've been struggling almost as much as Weiss."

Absolutely outraged, Blake pointed a finger at her team leader.  
"Take it BACK…  
— Nope' you deserve every word of this sentence. " If sulking wasn't a word yet, Blake would have invented it on that instant.

Raven was already loading her own environment, and didn't wait for anyone. The room suddenly taking a much larger and much grand atmosphere as colors and lights came in to place.

In an instant the full extent of the team was standing in the center of a stadium, just beside a box-ring. Yang rolled her eyes.

"Of course you'd take the box ring map.  
— What settings are we playing at ? I'd go for realis-  
— Nope. I'm not suicidal yet, thanks mom, we're going for natural environments, major bone-breaking deactivated, and no blood loss simulation.  
— Fine, but we're doing it at a hundred percent pain.  
— And I want an advantage."

Raven only smirked, and Yang knew she was already screwed.  
"I'll give you an advantage alright. Two hundred times my resistance to damage."

Yang could only scoff at that. IT was only an advantage on the paper. Yang having a more sturdy body would not help her if she couldn't land a single hit on the dark haired version of her.

"I'm regretting this already." She said before jumping the ropes, into the ring. Followed shortly by Raven herself.

Each took their distances, choosing a corner to use. And each readied themselves as the VR brought to their field of view the countdown to the start of the match.

Using the ten seconds they had, the rest of the team found its way to one of the numerous seats in the first row of the stadium. Each silent and taking note of the fact that the cocky yang was scared enough of raven to ask such a big advantage. Ruby slowly turned to Weiss.  
"How much do you bet one of them will get killed ?  
— Are you joking ? I'm hoping one of us doesn't get killed just by watching !"

Three more seconds and Raven would be on Yang, she knew that. The woman was both strong enough and fast enough that rushing Yang unarmed was not a problem for her.

Readying her stance Yang mentally prepared for what was to come. And then it began.  
Just as she expected Raven rushed straight at her, and just as always her mobility and anticipation made any attempt to punish her for that ineffective. Yang's first punch missed her mother's face by a fair bit, however it was a brawl, not a box match. That meant there were no rules about leg play, using the decor, or fighting dirty. So long as it remained in Legal terms within the coalition. Yang knew that, and used the fact that Raven had rushed her so fast to enter her close periphery. In doing so, she took a solid blow of Raven's elbow in the stomach, but honestly, the only way to do so much as to graze the captain of the Nevermore was to act in ways that she would not expect. That included taking blows she could avoid, and sometimes take some risks. Lifting her knee she had kept low to not telegraph her move, Yang pushed it right in Raven's stomach, or at least she tried, as Raven, instead of driving her first hit further into her daughter's stomach, choose an early retreat, taking one and a half step backward letting Yang's knee graze her cloths.

Before Yang realize that Raven had been expecting this move the moment Yang's first punch had failed to land, it was too late and a hook was already coming from the right as Raven had charged back in a second. The sheer force of the blow made Yang take a step back, there, she ducked only on instinct, and was lucky to do so as the right hook had followed the left.

Getting out of Raven's range, Yang began to try and avoid punches after punches, turning and dashing left and right to escape being boxed in. but she knew this would only work against her as doing so would slowly drain her until Raven would come and manage to land blows. And at this point she would be done for.

She needed to surprise Raven. But if accepting to trade a blow of raven to be able to retaliate didn't work, and considering Raven's speed and strength, this was a complex thing to achieve.  
Letting Raven come to her, she dodged a fistful of pain coming right for her face, proceeding to trap her mother's arm with her own. Raven tugged on it hard, Yanking Yang right into her second fist in the process.

An awful crack signaled to both Yang and Raven that Yang's nose was now tiny miny pieces and Yang's perceptions, warped by both pain and adrenalin made her dizzy.  
In the spectator, all made a disgusted expression from the sound, as it was just gruesome. Yang didn't let go though, Giving this desperate grab meaning by punching Raven in the guts seemed like an acceptable trade after all. The punch was obviously blocked by Raven's other hand before it even grazed her, and getting her main fist out of Yang's grab, she didn't pull away, using both of her hands to grab the back of Yang head.

Comprehension of what was about to happen sank into Yang's blurry mind.  
"Shit."

The knee of Raven crashed in her face hard once. Then twice, then joint fists hit her spine as she was still folded in two, and Yang crashed entirely on the ground. If blood loss settings had been realist, she would have had her face covered of her own blood by now. Raven took two steps back, and Yang tried to get up. Only for Raven to get her almost flying by kicking her exposed stomach. The momentum gave Yang what it needed to get back up, but her stance was unsteady. And Raven was already on her.

Yang's eyes opened wide as fury fueled her moves. Virtual blood pumping through her. Lifting her fist, and with an enraged cry she punched the ground.

Raven smiled, as it seemed to her like her daughter was now getting angry, and so, quite dumb.  
Getting back up after that little stunt, Yang, was force to recoil to avoid a new set of punch.

She tried to crush Raven's foot with her own, but was swiftly punished by Raven bending her knee, lifting it right under Yang's jaw where it collided. With a pained cry, Yang was sent flying backward and rolled on the ground until she hit the ropes.

"Get up."  
Coughing a teeth up, and spiting it out with a defiant look at her mother, Yang threw a first fist onto the rope and used it to place a foot flat on the ground. She unkneeled, and it was now obvious to everyone Yang had no hope of victory.

However Yang didn't concede yet. And valiantly put her guard back up. She had pain all over, and without the actual settings, such a violent combat would have already broke several bones… 

Then Yang smiled, Rushing Raven with all she had. This renew in Yang's cockiness made Raven weary, and she began to frown searching for Yang was about to do.  
Yang's foot was arriving fast, but it was going to land on the ground too far to be used to kick raven. Was this really a feint ? It was a sloppy one then, and Raven was about to punish it when a crack was heard. And Yang's foot sank right under the ring's leather cover, the wood under it concede under her weight.

Raven suddenly understood. Yang's earlier stunt and then trying to crush her foot. At each time on this precise place on the ground.  
Before she knew it, Raven balance was broken as the plank Yang had broken knowingly was falling. And using her other foot Yang jumped upward, using her hand on the ground to do a double kick right on Raven's good knee. Falling in the newly created hole Raven had no way to parry that, and she simply smiled, as for the very first time in all their spar, Yang was about to land a very solid blow.

The strength of the double kick into the leader's knee felt way beyond anything a knee could normally support, if Major bones breaking hadn't been turned off, it would have snapped backward, shattered in pieces in this very instant. Yang didn't stop thought. Having since regained her foot stance while Raven was still under the violent pain of her knee, she decked a second blow, a punch right into Raven's face. Then another, then another, and again another. Until Raven arm finally caught it.  
Until this day, Yang had always seen her mom with a cold face when fighting. But as her fist was caught, she realised that she was now looking at the very essence of an exited predator. An exhilarated smile, like a shark looking at it's next prey, Raven tugged on her daughter's hand, Throwing her head forward right into Yang's. The nose already broken shattered even more as Yang cried, backing off. With a grunt of effort, Raven got her foot out of the hole in the ring, not without tearing a few shards with it. And regained her stance. Her knee felt weak. As the main damage had been inflicted there. Crippling pain lingering.  
Raven ignored It, placing a first foot in yang's direction.

The woman getting closer, Yang frowned.  
Raven was walking. No rushing or running. This was new, and worrying. Yang had seen Raven spar with better peoples than her before, she knew that blow to the knee would not stop raven unless the bone was actually broken, and it was not currently possible. More so, Raven was now displaying enjoyment. In the form of a cocky smile.

Managing to hit Raven as strong as this was a victory in itself, but yang knew her mother enough to know Raven would not let her gloat. Retaliation would come, it'll be fast, and it'll be painful.

As on cue, crossed what little distance there still was between her and Yang, and suddenly became a blur of a body. She feinted a punch only to stop a centimeter from Yang's face, who was too late to stop it anyway, then in one motion she turned herself away from Yang, jabbing in her guts as she came full circle to face the blond again. As Yang tried in vain to place a few punches, Raven continued to dance around the girl, placing punches, kicks and jabs with ease. It became clearly apparent for Yang that Raven had never really showed the extent of her speed, to the point Yang would have put Raven's humanity in question, if not for the fact that she knew the leader to be her mother. Incapable of getting even the basic foothold, taking blow after blow, Yang had no choice but to recoil, each new feet bringing her closer to a defeat that she genuinely wished for at this point.  
She had no hope to ever get the upper hand at her current level. She might as well get this over with.  
As Raven Grabbed her right arm fully, Yang was thrown in a circle around the captain. She only had to time to feel dread invade her brain as Raven used her very signature move since she had began training, Raven's Leg hitting her right in the face as she spun around the captain. Both her legs went up by sheer inertia, and she fell flat on the ground. She stopped moving.

All in the room winced at the violent defeat Yang had been subjected to. Raven's hard glare still on Yang, like waiting for her to get back up and resume fighting.  
After a few seconds, Raven blinked. And then smiled. Closing the space between her and yang, lending a hand at her daughter.

All previous damages healing in a few seconds Yang deadpanned as pain left her.  
"Why are you even fighting with me ? I doubt this is beneficial to any of us.  
— You shouldn't. It is beneficial. At least to me. It gives me indication of your level. Of how much you progress. All while reminding you that you are far from done learning. I'd say it's a pretty good way of breaking over confidence.  
— Most peoples talk about these things you know ?  
— Do you intend to make me believe talking actually get through to you ?"  
There was a few seconds of silence, as Yang had yet to grab the hand Raven was holding out to her. After a few more seconds, she snorted.  
"Point taken. I AM your daughter after all.- woah, this might be the closest thing to damage you have done yet."  
A genuine laugh came between both women as Yang got up on her feet.

"I have to admit though. You ARE improving. This was good tactic, and a perfect usage of terrain. Good job yang."  
That last part had come out full of endearment. And the main interested could only grin and rub the back of her neck  
Raven gave a smile to the spectators that hadn't move yet.  
"I believe I recall Miss belladonna was supposed to be my next opponent ?"

All in the room stiffened except Yang, Blake even more so than the two other, and a cold sweat began to crawl up her spine. Yang, gave her a beaming smile.  
"Don't worry Blake… I'm sure she'll go easy on you… Maybe ?"  
Blake swallowed loudly enough for Ruby and Weiss to hear. Trapped between trying to run away and trying to get up to actually walk into the ring that had automatically repaired at some point.  
The intense look Raven was giving her making a ball of fear form up in her belly.  
As She got up and began to walk toward the ring, the Smile of Raven told it all about how she was so NOT about to go easy…

This was going to be a long day for Blake.

***********

 

The loud constant beeping of the clock-alarm was obnoxiously loud.  
He hated it. He always had. But, in the commonwealth, these things were pricey enough that you didn't want to buy a new one for a reason such as 'annoying sound' or 'I'mma smash it against the wall'. 

Getting up, the young boy groaned, making every bone in his neck crack.  
His father, already awake and near the central table of the only room they had in this little farm looked at him, anger in his eyes.

"Already told you not to do that in my presence. Have I not now ?  
— Sorry.  
— Don't give a damn about you being sorry son, every time you do that, I feel this horrible shiver in my own spine, and I don't like it. Hearing this actually HURT my neck somehow. Now get out of bed. There's work to do."

The farm-boy knew not to argue with his old man when he was like that. In fact, it already wasn't such a good idea to do so when the man was in good mood, so doing it when he was pissed was really not recommended. And so, getting out of bed, he began to change out of his sleepwear.

"What time is it ?  
— Late enough. You stayed up late again last night, haven't you ?  
— I… Did. I was busy fixing the old computer and time simply flew away."  
Ingram Pines looked thoroughly at his son, trying his best to detect a lie. Seeing none, he grunted.  
"S'not healthy. Be more careful."  
Nodding silently, Oscar resumed changing until he was somewhat ready, save for the shoes. The old man looked him right into the eyes.  
"What are you having for breakfast ?  
— What do we got ?  
— Brahamine meat, or Canned Scram.  
— isn't that a bit too much ? You usually save the good food for noon.  
— We won't be eating anything at noon today. We'll probably be visiting your mother at that time.  
— So far ? But the farm…  
— is waiting for tomorrow. Look outside son, It's ready to fall on our sorry heads. We can't do any farming with such a weather. No, today we're going hunting. The rain will cover our smell and noises and I figured we might as well do all that in the direction of your mother's."

Oscar let out a grunt of approbation. Getting to the window to see for himself, he had to agree with his father. Dark clouds had gathered, so much not a single ray of light was going through. And knowing the region like Oscar had all his life, this was going to be like that all day, maybe several even. The mud they were farming in was too soft for this weather. They'd be sinking in it to the knee and would struggle to do any work. It just wasn't worth it.  
Oscar didn't like Brahamine meat. It was pricey, and his father had a few recipe using it that Oscar enjoyed eating. But in general, it was to chewy and hard to separate from the fat.  
Getting to the entryway, the farm boy grabbed his ample coat. And put on the strong leather boots bought on his father's advice two years prior.  
Oscar passed the first month of wearing these things to hate them. He had blisters on his foot, and it was hurting like hell. The leather was hard and really not comfy.  
Two years later, Oscar loved them. They where the most prized possession he ever had, and today, they where the most comfortable shoes he ever tried. The leather was both really resistant and adapted to his foot, as he had molded the shoes to them. He could walk in puddle, mud, and electric hazard whitout a care in the world. As these were insulated, air-tight, and protective.

Finally, hooking his counter and grabbing his bag, he looked behind him to say Ingram was ready, so he opened the small door and got out. The door closing behind his father with a small clanging metal sound.  
Without bothering to even close the door, the man got his attention as he got a small key out of his vest.  
For a second, Oscar believed it to be the key to the armory of his father, but he realised at once that his father's was much more rusty, and not exactly in the same color.  
"Son, I need you to pay attention. This is important."  
Immediately, Oscar focused his look on the man, as he was never kidding when he was starting a sentence like that.  
"About a few weeks back you turned fourteen. In the big cities, you'd be considered a kid by most. But each new day that passes, I find less and less to teach you that you don't already know. And that's without mentioning the things you learned on your own and that I just never could."

Oscar knew all that to not really be a feat of him alone, but he kept quiet.  
"Your getting good at the farm, and your getting more independent by the day. But I'm not fooled. You, Oscar pines, are no farmer. You wish not to be and if it wasn't a family heirloom since about a hundred years, you'd sell the place the moment I set my second foot in the grave. Don't deny it, I just know it to be true. I'm not mad at you for it. I just don't get it. Still. Even thought Radiation is much less present today as it was when I was born, there is still humans, ghouls and others monsters that where created by them. You are getting closer to the man than the kid in my eyes. And so, since you'll need it at some point anyway, I took upon myself to find yourself a late gift for your birthday."

Punctuating his speech the man got a long package out of the old electrical box that had been reinforced into a gunsafe. He did so with the key… the new set. 

Putting the wrapped object onto the nearby workbench, he undid the many leather strings that maintained the cover in place, eventually revealing a long gun.  
It was a bolt action hunting rifle. And it was obvious to Oscar immediately than the old man was not giving him an old gun.  
Oscar had absolutely no idea where he could have found it, but the millennia old design was pristine, maybe even factory new. Oscar had, of course, heard of the few places where this gun was produced anew, but the prices he heard when listening to these stories were so extravagant there was no way his father could have done that.

"I aligned the sight myself, just to be sure it's perfect. It's easy to use and the recoil, while a bit strong for a pipsqueak like you, will not be too strong to handle. You will just need to get used to it. The downside is it's got a bit of maintenance to do from time to time, and it's not the easy part. But I know your liking to tinkering, I'm sure this will be an enjoyment for ya."

Carefully, as he was gestually invited by his father, Oscar lifted the weapon, appreciating its weight, and without putting his finger on the trigger, aimed on the horizon, checking the sight. As his father had said, it seemed perfect, but he'd only know once he would fire, if he ever had to.  
Lowering it, he looked at the weapon and a small irrepressible smile creeped up his face.  
With all the respect due to such a good weapon, he placed it back on the table and looked his father with a pinch in his heart.  
There was clearly a mix of proudness and sadness onto the old man, to see his son grow up to take a different path. These moments where rare, but for once, Oscar didn't hesitate to hug the man tightly.  
"Thanks dad."

It was always funny how much Ingram pines knew not where to put himself when his son decided to display such affection. So he just stood there, eventually patting the young boy on the head before breaking the hug.

"Do you remember the rules Os' ?"  
Oscar gave a firm nod, not waiting for his father to ask to recite them.  
"Never aim at any living thing you're not willing to kill. Never leave the security undone near civilians except when in danger, always treat your weapon as if it was loaded. Do not put your finger on the trigger until you are ready to fire.  
— And ?  
— Oh right. The most important rule of all : Shoot when you need to, never when it is not necessary.  
— Good."

This last rule was more moral than it was safety. But it was precisely this rule that Oscar revered to the most. He had heard countless stories of peoples with the easy trigger that shot peoples without thinking and realise their mistake only when it was too late. The addiction of his father, now behind him, thanks to time and a lot of work the man had done on himself, was partially because he had broke this very rule. And Oscar had seen how his father had been all this life because of it.  
It was sad to say that on this planet, and beyond, weapons where sadly a necessity for a lot of peoples. No lone traveler, here or elsewhere would ever be safe without a weapon, and Oscar was force to comply with this rule. He didn't like weapons in general, though he always loved the internal workings of one. It was an object made to kill. And therefor, Oscar could simply not like it. 

"As you have probably guessed by now, I've also asked for this key to be made for you. So you wouldn't have to ask for mine, if the need ever arose. "

Oscar took the small key, inspecting it carefully. It felt heavier in his hand than his father's ever had, as a lot of responsibility were attached to it.

After a few seconds, Oscar grabbed his necklace, a simple leather strip, and removed it's current stone, placing the key onto it for now. This way there was no risk of loosing it. Reaching a last time for the key, Oscar put it under his cloth, so it wouldn't be on full display.

"So… You're ready to test it out ?  
— What, Right now ?  
— Well, no, not right now. But I thought hunting would be a good test. The swamp maybe ? There should be a herd of radstag or two there… Could be some good target practice.  
— I don't know… They can be quite aggressive some times. Wouldn't the plain's mole-rats be a safer bet ?  
— Not in this season ! They just finished giving birth to their litter. This is the moments they are the most territorial. And at least, the stags don't hide underground. Believe me, if they hear gunshots at this period of the year, they will run for their lives, where the mole would just shred us.  
— If you're sure…"

Searching in the cover of Oscar's weapon, his father extracted something that Oscar would probably have missed a few times if no one told him it was there. It was a small leather pad. And first he thought it would just be a simple protection, for his shoulder perhaps. But after a closer inspection as his old man hold it for him to grab, he understood the use of the object : multiples small bullet slots where installed into the small plate, and a leather belt could be inserted to maintain it. It's capacity was rather low, with only fifteen shots.  
With his usual jaded face, the man gave a few more advice.  
"You're gonna want to load the gun fully, for a total of twenty shots. Best to do that now. I saw some jackasses have a pouch full of bullets for this kind of gun, but I advise against that. You'll most likely lose your ammo all the time. Have clips, or have bullet slots. "  
With a nod of agreement, Oscar grabbed the hunting rifle and began to load it. Carefully. Until he felt the resistance of the spring in the integrated magazine forbid another bullet.  
With the hesitation and awkwardness of a novice, Oscar finally put the bolt in place, locking one of the case in its chamber. Then proceeded to check that the security had not moved by accident while he was manipulating the gun. Two bolts, one under the wood stock, and one under the barrel secured an adjustable shoulder strap that Oscar immediately put to good use getting the newest addition right behind his back. Funnily enough, the canon was getting way above his head, as he was still quite short.  
His father smiled.  
"You look like a fine pipsqueak hunter to me.  
— Shut up, I'll grow to be taller than you one day." With a small punch in his son the man began to walk.  
"Suuuure, I'll believe it when I see it kid. Now try to keep up, with have a bit of road to the swamps, especially if we're going to your mother's grave on the way."  
Oscar just roled his eyes while looking at his father fondly. Wishing for this peace and this giddiness to just never end.

His only regret that he would not work on his project until nightfall when they'd come back. Which was unusual.


End file.
